College: Gould Library: Analyzing Information Literacy in Student Writing. CSI(L) Carleton: Forensic Librarians and Reflective Practices. In the Library with the Lead Pipe is pleased to welcome guest authors Iris Jastram, Danya Leebaw, and Heather Tompkins.
They are reference and instruction librarians at Carleton College, a small liberal arts college in Minnesota. Becoming forensic librarians Image by smwright “Wait, this is information literacy?” A rhetorician at our workshop exclaimed in excited surprise. Just two summers earlier we had pored over some sample papers pulled from Carleton College’s Sophomore Writing Portfolio submissions, debating whether we could see information literacy at work in those papers and if so, exactly what we could see.
As the hours ticked by, though, realization began to dawn. Attribution So now when we teach, we help students understand citation as context. Evaluation When we turned to the question of how students evaluate sources, the pattern emerged again. Communication Of course, we aren’t content specialists. Looking toward the future So yes, this is information literacy. Works Cited: Teachingfyws / Bibliography. Know Which Style To Use - Citation Style Guide - The Library's Subject Guides! at American University.
How to Write a Research Paper. Most university courses involve some sort of extended writing assignment, usually in the form of a research paper.
Papers normally require that a student identify a broad area of research related to the course, focus the topic through some general background reading, identify a clear research question, marshal primary and secondary resources to answer the question, and present the argument in a clear and creative manner, with proper citations. That is the theory, at least. But how do you go about doing it all? This brief guide provides some answers.
Teaching Yourself From the outset, keep in mind one important point: Writing a research paper is in part about learning how to teach yourself. The Five Commandments of Writing Research Papers To write first-rate research papers, follow the following simple rules—well, simple to repeat, but too often ignored by most undergraduates. 1. 2. A research question, at least in the social sciences, begins with the word “why” or “how.” 3. 4. 5. Developing a Research Question. Developing a Research Question Developing a Research Question--explanation Developing a Research Question It's absolutely essential to develop a research question that you're interested in or care about in order to focus your research and your paper (unless, of course, your instructor gives you a very specific assignment).
For example, researching a broad topic such as "business management" is difficult since there may be hundreds of sources on all aspects of business management. On the other hand, a focused question such as "What are the pros and cons of Japanese management style? " How do you develop a usable research question? If you know a lot about the topic, you can develop a research question based on your own knowledge.
It's a good idea to evaluate your research question before completing the research exercise (Exercise 3) and to Ask the writing tutor for feedback on your research question. Topic/Issue A topic is what the essay or research paper is about. A. Question A: 1. Next Step. Introduction to the Scientific Method. Introduction to the Scientific Method The scientific method is the process by which scientists, collectively and over time, endeavor to construct an accurate (that is, reliable, consistent and non-arbitrary) representation of the world. Recognizing that personal and cultural beliefs influence both our perceptions and our interpretations of natural phenomena, we aim through the use of standard procedures and criteria to minimize those influences when developing a theory.
As a famous scientist once said, "Smart people (like smart lawyers) can come up with very good explanations for mistaken points of view. " In summary, the scientific method attempts to minimize the influence of bias or prejudice in the experimenter when testing an hypothesis or a theory. I. 1. 2. Essentials of research methods: a guide to social research - Janet M. Ruane.