Use of Information Sources
ILS 244W Unit 5
Fall 2009
September 28 - October 5
NOTE: Please print a copy of this page and keep it nearby for ready reference.
UNIT 5 READING ASSIGNMENT
- LECTURE: Read the lecture notes below (then take a quiz on the material).
- READINGS IN TEXT: Read chapter 5 (pp 99-117) in List-Handley (then take a quiz on the material)
- OTHER READINGS: Read ONE of the following Hot Topics!:
UNIT 5 WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
This week you will use the Big Six process to write a short (2-3 page) paper on a topic of your choice. In writing your paper, try to focus on (1) Opening the paper with a clear statement of the thesis and hints at its importance and (2) an Ending that summarizes the discussion using a new example. The following schedule is offered to help you manage your time and the work:
Day 1
- Select a topic (EITHER College Students & Stress OR College Students & Sleep OR College Students & Relationships OR Eating Well & Exercising in College OR Sexual Health in College OR Using Alcohol & Other Drugs in College OR Stopping Smoking). Define the topic by rewriting it as a question.
- List the information you will need to find.
- List possible information sources.
- Select the best sources.
Day 2
- Locate the selected sources, including through finding appropriate subject headings.
- Find information within each source.
- Engage information in the source.
- Extract inforamation from the multiple sources, using a graphic organizer.
Day 3
- Organize the information from the various sources into a logical sequence, perhaps following an outline format.
- Write a draft linking the various pieces of information into a coherent telling.
- Revise the draft for a better telling/reading.
Day 4
- Evaluate the paper. [How effective was your work?]
- Evaluate the research process. [How efficient was your research activity?]
Day 5
- Be sure you have included a Bibliography or List of References, giving the sources you used.
- Paste your final draft into the threaded discussion area of this unit.
UNIT 5 RESOURCE GUIDE ASSIGNMENT
This week you are to identify and examine encyclopedias in your area of study.
Give an overview of what kind of information is available in these resources and list specific sources and their call numbers (if in print) or URL (if on the Web); where appropriate, give notes on coverage of and how to use each resource.
UNIT 5 LECTURE
'Encyclopedia' derives from a Greek word meaning 'a complete circle of learning.' The purpose or function of an encyclopedia is to synthesize existing knowledge in a form that can be retrieved easily. 'Encyclopedias' go under a variety of names, including 'encyclopedcia,' 'dictionary' (usually small-scale subject encyclopedias), 'companion,' and even 'yearbook.'
An encyclopedia is a good starting place when you need to write a paper on something that you know little about. An entry about the subject in an encyclopedia while give you a broad understanding of the subject as well as a sense of the vocabulary that is used to talk about that subject. It is a good idea to make a working 'glossary' of the new terms and look up their meaning in a general or subject dictionary. The special language and names of people in the entry may prove excellent clues to subject headings that can be used to find books and articles on the subject or some aspect of it.
Generally, it is not a good idea to use an encyclopedia as a primary information resource. Rather, use it as a mini-course in the subject and then find books and articles, using the vocabulary found in the encyclopedia, to gain the information you will use in your paper. You may want to return to encyclopedias from time to time to help put new information found in books and articles in context.
A few encyclopedias available online:
UNIT 5 QUIZ
Test what you learned from this week's reading.
This is a short 5 question quiz covering the assigned reading for this unit. Take a maximum of 10 minutes. Some questions require you to apply what is learned from the readings. Other questions ask you to recall specific material. After you have taken the quiz, go back and check you answers in the text.
On this class site, every effort has been made to acknowledge the work of others. Any omission is unintentional. If anyone finds an oversight, please contact me at brownm6@southernct.edu immediately so that any error can be corrected.
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