Distance Learning

ASSIGNMENT

SUGGESTIONS FOR GETTING STARTED

1. Prepare an Annotated Bibliography of books, journals, and web sites with evaluative annotation.

(See the Citations Research Guide with sample annotated bibliographies).

• Use these web resources (ex: 3 websites, government sites, library databases, etc).
• Do not use Wikipedia or similar web pages.
• Specify allowable information sources  (ex: 4 journal articles, 1 magazine article, 3 web sites, 3 books, etc.).  

2. Prepare a Subject Guide.

• Use Research Guides as a starting point. Online research guides include specialized reference materials, web resources, subject-specific databases, and more.  
• Request a Research Guide for your class or subject.

3. Compare how two different disciplines discuss the same topic by finding articles from the journal literature of each discipline. (ex: learning & memory in education vs. psychology)

• Use the FAU Libraries Databases by Subject listings and Subject Research Guides to identify discipline-specific databases, and start searching for articles.
• Look for a “peer-reviewed” limit in each database.

4. Compare the discussion of a particular research study in the popular and scholarly press. Students can compare the relationship between the popular article and original study on which it was based.

• Use the Databases by Subject listing to start searching for articles.  Look for a "peer-reviewed" limit in each database.
• See our tutorial, Popular Periodicals versus Scholarly Publications.

5. Compare two journal articles that discuss the same topic from different points of view.

• Use Databases to search for articles.  Assist with suggestions for keywords to use in searching; using the words "pro" and "con" does not usually work. 
• Include keywords in your searches such as: benefits, issues, advantages, disadvantages.
• Each topic will be different so think of words from either side of the issue (ex: stem cell research and ethics).

6. Research a topic using primary and secondary sources. Contrast the sources, their content and treatment of the topic.

• See the Primary Sources Main Research Guide and associated Primary Source guides on specific subjects.

7. Compare the results of searching the same precise topic on a library Database vs. Google.

• Use the Databases to search library databases and compare the results to the same search on Google.

8. Compare the treatment of a topic from a) a specialized encyclopedia, b) a general encyclopedia or book, and c) Wikipedia.

• Use the advanced search options in the Library Catalog to find subject-specific and general encyclopedias and books on your topic.

9. Research a controversial topic using a variety of sources.  Discuss how the different types of sources (e.g. newspapers, websites, news magazines, academic journals, discussion lists) treat the topic.

• Use the Library Catalog to search for books, DVDs, government documents, musical scores, etc.
• Use Databases by Subject to find an appropriate database in which to search for scholarly journal articles by topic.
• Give guidelines as to which formats to cover (ex: one of each – newspapers, journal articles, discussion list, etc.).

10. Evaluate a website based on specific criteria including accuracy, comprehensiveness, authority, bias, ease of use, and visual style. Compare a number of web sites representing government, personal, commercial, and scholarly sites.

• Use this worksheet to Evaluate a Web Site.

11. Submit a research log with a research assignment (paper, presentation, bibliography).

• Include information about sources used (name of the database &/or search engine), keywords and search statements used, and the number of results for a given search. Include reflections on how particular search strategies did or did not result in helpful results.

12. Research a particular topic in the literature of the 1970s and 1980s.  Research the same topic in current literature. Discuss the evolution of the field based on this exercise.

• Use the Library Catalog to search for books.  Use the Limit by date feature to search for materials published during a period of time and/or to get updated materials.
• Use the Databases to find articles. Use the limit by date feature to search for articles published during a period of time and/or to get updated materials.