J. Phillips

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

DRAFT: Tech101w IRC Research Response Form Use the following form to answer IRC questions 1-9. Write your answers in the spaces provided. Read the entire document BEFORE you begin answering the questions. Make sure your name and student number are clearly written below. Submit this document via the WebCT submission tool by Thursday October 22 at 11:59pm.

Student Information Student Name: Student Number: Tech101/101w Section Number and Instructor

IRC Questions 1. My Search Diary (a) In the space below write out the topic or topic question you have chosen to work on and underline the key terms in the question. Describe how you can narrow your topic down. (Answer here) (b) In the space below identify and write down other terms related to your key words: these may be synonyms or similar concepts that may expand your search word list. (Answer here)

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

2. Background/introductory reading (a) Write down important points about what you already know about your topic. If you do not have previous knowledge about your topic, make a prediction about the history of the topic and a prediction about an important issue relating to your topic. (Answer here) Reading an encyclopedia entry on your chosen topic is often a good place to start your academic research. Although it is a secondary source, entries can often be comprehensive and can provide a solid base of background knowledge on the topic. As well, an initial search engine review can provide a general overview of your topic. (b) Get an overview of your topic to explore the key issues. Look up your topic in Wikipedia. Read the information available. Summarize (see your writing handbook if you do not understand this term) in bullet form the main points that may be helpful in your research. Do Not simply copy and paste a direct quote into your answer. You may need this information later. (Answer here) Using the SFU Library Catalogue, look up your topic in one or more of the encyclopedias listed there. Now answer the questions below: (c) Summarize (see your writing handbook if you do not understand this term) in bullet form the main points of an (1) encyclopedia passage that may be helpful in your research. Do Not simply copy and paste a direct quote into your answer. (Answer here) (d) Compare and contrast the information in the wikipedia entry with the information found in online encyclopedia entry. In what ways are the entries similar? In what ways are they different? (Answer here) (e) Clearly cite your wikipedia entry in APA style. As well, clearly state where on the SFU library website you found the online encyclopedia information AND cite your source in correct APA style. (Answer here) Note: If you cannot find an encyclopedia entry which deals with your topic,

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

consult a librarian (note the time, date, method of contact and name of librarian) and answer the questions above based on their advice. (f) Was there anything about your topic that you did not know before hand? Provide an example of an important point you learned about your topic that you did not previously know and state why it is important for your paper. (Answer here)

3. Getting help from a librarian: State at least three (3) ways that you can contact an SFU librarian for assistance if you get stuck during your research this week AND clearly state the reason(s) why you might choose those methods. (Answer here)

4. Searching for books Input your key terms into the SFU Library Catalogue. (You may want to start with a simple search (e.g. concept1 AND concept2) and then alter your search based on the number of results you get.) (a) Write down the key words AND the number of sources listed under those words. (Answer here) (b) Choose 2-4 sources you think may be useful for your research paper. Briefly explain in your opinion why each one may be helpful. (Note: You don’t need to have the book in hand—use the information in the catalogue to justify why you think each one may be useful.) (Answer here) (c) Clearly explain your search process (how you located the sources).

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

(Answer here) (d) Cite each book listed above using correct APA style. (Note that your APA book citation should NOT include the book’s catalogue url. If you don’t find the full text of the source online, do not include a url. If you cannot locate any books on your topic, alter your search query using the related terms noted in 1d and try again. If you are still unable to locate books on your topic, contact a librarian for help AND record a copy or summary of your correspondence below, the librarian’s name, and the time and date of correspondence.) (Answer here) (e) Following the Subject Headings For each of the books you found in Question 4b, scroll down the catalogue display page and look at the Subject Headings (marked Subject). Write down which subject heading(s) seem the most appropriate for your topic. Click it/them, and follow through to find other books with the same subject heading. Do any of these books look useful for your assignment? If so, report which subject headings you followed, and whether they led to useful books on your topic AND cite any relevant books using APA style. OR If none of the Subject Headings are on your topic, or if they don't lead to useful books, report this below and clearly explain why you think your search was unsuccessful. (Answer here) (f) Determining Book Location Review the books you listed in Questions 4b and 4d. Note where each book is located (Surrey campus, Bennett, Belzberg) AND explain how you found this information. (Answer here) (g) Getting books from another SFU Library. In your own words, clearly explain how you would request that a book from another SFU Library be transferred to the SFU Surrey Library for you to borrow (clearly explain the process). (Answer here)

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

5. Journal Articles: Choosing databases (a) Examine the Google Scholar database you learned about at the library workshop last week. Note the relevant information it provides on your topic. Identify 3-6 articles that may be useful for your research AND cite them in APA style. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Google Scholar? (Answer here) (b) Examine the IRC Reference Page list of databases of journal articles and citations. Considering your topic, choose 2-3 databases (other than Google Scholar) that you think would be the best ones to search for articles on your topic. Use the database descriptions to help make your choices. Record the name of each database AND explain why you chose each one, noting its possible advantages and disadvantages. (Answer here) (c) Using the search tips in the IRC Research Page, enter each database noted above and look for articles on your topic: Write the names of 6 articles you find most helpful to your research AND clearly state where you found them. Cite all 6 articles in APA style. (You will include the names of all potential resources in your working bibliography. But if you see an article relevant to your topic—order it now.) (Answer here) Note: If all imaginable possibilities for searches in a database were attempted, then try an alternate database. If this still does not produce an acceptable result, and if the Reference Librarian was contacted and was unable to help, then you can submit the steps that were taken in that search (including the terms used and the kinds of searches used at each step of the process). In this case, also include a copy of the message sent to the Reference Librarian to show that an attempt was made by you to access the information. It is important to note here that part of learning how to do research is learning where to look and not look for information.

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

(Answer here if you cannot answer 5b & 5c.)

(d) Library databases contain citations to millions of articles in thousands of journals. Sometimes they are available online. They may also be available in print at the Surrey Library. However, many of them may be available only in print at the Bennett Library. Clearly explain how you would request a free photocopy of a journal article be sent to you from another SFU Library (clearly explain the process). (Answer here)

6. Recognizing academic resources & other CREDIBLE sources (a) Name the three (3) characteristics that you feel are most important for recognizing a scholarly journal article. Use the information provided in the IRC Reference Page to answer this question. List the 3 characteristics AND clearly state the process you used to locate the information. Cite the source of this information in correct APA style. (Note: This citation will not be included in your Working Bibliography.) (Answer here)

(b) If you were able to find some online articles in 5b above, consider this question: What makes them scholarly or academic? Describe what you know about the articles according to the bulleted points below and evaluate their scholarly qualities based on the criteria you suggested in 6a above. • Subject • Genre • Journal • Date

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

• Relevance to Topic • Authors

(Answer here) (c) Think critically about your search process so far and briefly answer this reflective question: “What have I learned about doing library research so far?” (Answer here)

7. Evaluating Websites (a) LIST and EXPLAIN what you believe to be the five (5) most important ways of evaluating the accuracy and reliability of a website that are different than what was listed to answer 6 (a). Use the IRC Reference Page and any other SFU library resources to answer this question. Cite the sources for this information in APA style. (Answer here) (b) Using Google (or another search engine of your choice) find three (3) web sites that provide reputable information on your topic. Clearly state the following: • The name of each web site • The citation of each site in APA style • A brief description of each site • Two valid reasons why each site is credible (Answer here)

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

8. Using non print sources: (a) Locate two (2) non print sources that relate to your topic. Select from photos, images, videos or sound recordings of experts or celebrities (key figures) associated with your topic. Copy and paste images, or provide the url links to images, videos or recordings below. (Answer here) (b) Clearly explain who the subject of the non print artifact is, what the artifact is, and why he or she is relevant to your topic. (Answer here) (c) Cite your non print sources in correct APA style. (Answer here)

9. Extra Help The Student Learning Commons is an excellent way to get additional assistance with any academic writing or learning that you need assistance in or that you will want to take further. (a) What are the 4 ways that the Student Learning Commons is able to offer its services? Provide an APA citation for where you found this information. (Answer here) (b) Write down the steps you would take to book an appointment online with a Learning and Writing Peer Educator. (Answer here)

10. Wrap-up: Creating a working bibliography

J. Phillips

Tech101/101w Week 7 Midterm (not for circulation)

Fall 09

A working bibliography is a list of relevant resources collected by a researcher who is about to begin a major research project. After collecting the sources and citing them correctly, the researcher will start to locate them, order them and read them to see if they provide relevant information for the research project. Create a Working Bibliography by compiling all the resources you've collected during this IRC exercise AND formatting the sources you’ve collected in APA Reference page style. See the APA Style Guide in your writing handbook and follow the formatting guidelines carefully. To ensure proper formatting, make sure the work is correctly titled and formatted on the final page of this document (Do not write your answer in this table, as you will not be able to format your work correctly). If the assignment was completed as per the instructions given, this Working Bibliography should be a simple copy-and-paste procedure. You will go through the IRC questions, copy and paste the citations already in APA style, paste them on the final page of this document, and arrange and format the citations according to APA formatting standards. Note: this question should NOT be answered in full sentences. You are creating a Reference Page, as found at the end of all research papers.

(Answer here)

(End of IRC Midterm)