Mary E. Brown, Ph.D., Professor
Information Science

Southern Connecticut State University
501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515

Department of Information and Library Science
Fax: 1.203.392-5780 / Phone: 1.203.392-5781
Toll Free: 1-888-500-SCSU, then press 4

NOTE: Please print a copy of this page and keep it nearby for ready reference.

UNIT 13 READING ASSIGNMENT

Read all material on this page.
After reading the material under Writing Assignment, complete Quiz 13.

UNIT 13 WRITING ASSIGNMENT

Over the next three weeks you will write a 5-7 page research paper on a topic of your choice. You are to devise a research and writing plan and enter it and the topic on which you will write into this week's threaded discussion.

Remember the following writing tips:

• Opening gives clear state of thesis and hints at its importance
• Introduction draws reader into the work
• No excess words; write with nouns and verbs
• Use strong verbs and precise words
• No passive voice and no jargon or jawbreakers
• No long, confusing or short monotonous sentences
• Each paragraph has a main point of focus
• All unrelated ideas have been edited out
• Points of reflection, rest, assimilation are marked by a paragraph
• Ending summarizes the discussion using a new example
• No punctuation or spelling errors

The finished paper will be entered under the appropriate discussion thread.

UNIT 13 RESOURCE GUIDE ASSIGNMENT

This week you are to combine all sections of your work into one document, proof it for clarity and attractiveness. Review your Abstract and make sure it covers what you have actually done. Review you Title and make sure it captures the scope of your Resource Guide -- no more and no less.

Place your work in the appropriate discussion thread: "Resource Guides / POST your finished Resource Guides here for grading."

UNIT 13 LECTURE

Below are a few resources to assist you in your writing assignment over the next three weeks. Be sure to explore each one.

• Writing a Paper: Find step-by-step help online
• Writing a Research Paper (Purdue)
• Finding, evaluating, and documenting sources both in the library and on the Internet
• Tips for Citing Internet Sources

UNIT 13 QUIZ

This is not a quiz in that your responses will not be graded as correct or incorrect. Rather, it is a survey or your activities and feelings about the research paper that was just assigned. Please answer each question.

This is a survey to elicit your feelings and activities about the research process.

1. From the adjectives below, check those that describe how you feel at this point in the project.
   1. Confident
   2. Disappointed
   3. Frustrated
   4. Relieved
   5. Sure
   6. Confused
   7. Doubtful
   8. Optimistic
   9. Satisfied
   10. Uncertain
2. What is your task now? Please check one box.
   1. To gather information pertaining to the specific topic.
   2. To investigate information on the general topic.
   3. To complete the information search.
   4. To recognize an information need.
   5. To formulate a specific topic.
   6. To identify the general topic.
3. What are you doing now? Check as many boxes as apply to you.
   1. Discussing the topic.
   2. Browsing or making a comprehensive search of the library.
   3. Outlining to organizing information.
   4. Conferring with people who know about the topic.
   5. Asking librarian questions.
   6. Skimming and scanning sources of information and/or recording bibliographic citations.
   7. Writing about themes and ideas.
   8. Reading about topic.
   9. Taking notes on facts and ideas.
   10. Rechecking sources for information initially overlooked.
4. What is the title of your project? Describe the topic is a short paragraph.
5. On the scale below indicate your confidence level at this point in the project.
   • 1 (low level of confidence) 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 (high level of confidence)