Welcome to WEEK 10!
First, we have some reading! Please review Topic 13 of Patten & Newhart, then read Duesbery & Twyman Part 3 & 4.
What’s more, we have the Week 10 Blog Post on simple searches for this week and a reply for the Week 9 Posts.
In Class, We reviewed that assignment on Wednesday (10/27). To make sure your Week 9 post was on target, I encourage you to watch the video ASAP and make any necessary adjustments. We also previewed the Week 10 post. We will not meet this Friday and will review this week’s post in more depth when we meet again on Monday, November 1.
The Week’s Learning Objectives:
- Recall the basics of using library databases
- Compare and contrast ethics and social justice in action research to the ethics of more traditional academic research
- Acquire new tips and ideas for finding, reviewing, and utilizing other’s research
Learning Activities:
1. Review Topic 13 of Patten & Newhart
2. Read Duesbery & Twyman Part 3 & 4.
3. If you missed our class in Forsythe last week, I encourage you to view it now. Heather did a great job showing you the various resources that the library provides.
Assignments:
- Presentations
- Group 1, the Experimental Experts, present Part 3 on Social Justice in Action Research
- Group 3, the Research Reviewers, present Part 4 on Research in Your Field
- Group 10, the Imaginative Innovators, will help us look ahead to Part 5, Moving Your Research Forward
- Week 9 Reply
- Week 10 Plog Post
Week 9 Reply — Ready to go?
Help your classmates with their assignments this week. Review two classmates’ posts, as always stick to your assigned group as much as possible. Provide them with feedback on their research plan. Here are a few questions you can consider:
- Did everything make sense to you?
- Would you suggest different databases, additional keywords, or some other change in strategy?
- What are your thoughts on your classmate’s topic?
- Are there any parallels with your research plans or another classmate’s plans?
Again, those questions above are just example reply topics. There’s no need to try answering each one, or even more than one. Anything that adds something to the original post and can help that classmate is fine.
Week 10 Blog Post — simple searches:
This week we’ll continue to document our research through the Blog. If you review Topic 13 (PN), you’ll see it suggested documenting your search of the literature.
Last week, we took care of the first step they mention in that topic: “identify the right databases and search terms or combinations of terms in order to find the most relevant literature” (p. 44).
First, we’ll start with a few simple searches:
- ONE: Use at least two separate Forsyth databases relevant to your topic.
- TWO: Conduct at least three keyword searches in each database.
- THREE: As Patten & Newhart suggest: “Record [a] what databases were searched, and [b] the exact parameters you used to complete the search, including exact words …. [c] Record the number of results that were returned” (p. 46). Additionally, note whether the search was useful, and if so, why.
Quick Tip: Do NOT use boolean search terms to expand your search. Do NOT limit your findings in any way. These searches are intended to provide thousands of potential sources, but not provide viable result lists. Next week, we’ll do Boolean Searches to get results we may be able to reasonably review. This week, just one keyword per search, no Boolean terms or phrases.
Next, provide a little detail about a few useful possibilities:
- FOUR: Provide at least four APA-style citations to potentially useful sources.
- FIVE: Be sure to let us know which search led to which citation. This can help you remember more about the search and, if you decide not to save the source at this point, it can make it easier to find the source later.
- SIX: Review at least one source to better understand it, then provide annotation on that source. See the attached pdf for details on what you should discuss about that source.
As always, use spacing, font, and a picture to make your post a little easier and more attractive to the rest of us for easy reading. Use the Week 10 Blog Post category, tag the post with keywords you used in your research, and add a unique title for your blog post.
Tip: The post title shouldn’t include the week, your name, or this assignment, just the general topic that your post covers.
Keep in mind, these sources may or may not be articles you end up referring to in your final proposal. They should be sources whose titles and abstracts suggest they could be helpful.
If your first three searches do not help you find four sources that are even potentially relevant, feel free to conduct more searches. Just be sure to document all the searches you do. The documentation should help you out tremendously as you continue your research.
As you complete your new reading assignment in Duesbery & Twyman, I am sure you’ll notice that it is also relevant to a search of the literature. And, some of the ideas it suggests will be things I recommend in the next few weeks. As we continue, you’ll have quizzes on the new readings and a series of assignments that should slowly but surely provide you with all of the bits of information and writing that you will need for your research proposal.
Week 10 Deadline: Monday, November 1 at 2pm Central
Other Notes:
Sunday, October 31 is the final day to withdraw from a course with a transcript record of “W.” See the current Academic Calendar for more information.