Point of View Research Assignment
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Contents
Basic Research Skills
In preparation for the Point of View assignment, we will pick up (or review) some basic research skills for undergraduate academic research.
- Foley Main Page: This is a good page to bookmark for a variety of directions that you may need to go in research. There's the catalog, links to lots of reference pages, and, especially important, this is the best way to access research databases.
- Exercise: Browse to links above and spend 3 minutes exploring main links from these pages.
- Selecting databases - Managed sites (opposing views, organization sites) vs. research databases (subject specific (APA) vs. large general (such as Proquest))
- Exercise: Browse Opposing Views site, compare to subject specific database, and large general database. Do a simple subject search in each one and compare first page results. 4-6 minutes.
- Using subject terms, using reference sources to find terms (Wikipedia, subject and general encyclopedias), using Thesaurus look up within databases.
- Using search terms, working with search sets, cloning the hot article, noticing recurrent names, research referenced.
- Saving and sharing your results:
- Refworks
- Emailing results
- Formatting results for the wiki page
Point of View Research Assignment, Spring 2009
In addition to the general research skills you acquire today, we'd like you to engage in a specific assignment to deepen your understanding of point of view. The goal of the assignment is to choose a controversial topic (you can use Opposing Viewpoints to locate some) and then to determine, by reviewing research, what the major points of view are on the topic. Are the points of view organized as pro/con or as a diversity of opinion along a spectrum of some kind (e.g. political, social, economic)? Note how you make the judgment that a particular point of view has "standing" or credibility. Do you base that judgment on the type of publication, the prevalence of articles advocating the position, the authority or credentials of the source, or some other factor? Make your list of points of view and include citations and your comments to exemplify the point of view.
You can work in teams on this to save time. Add your topic below and make a wiki page for your group's list and documentation of point of view.
For example, if your topic was "Middle East Conflict," you could type on a new line below: [[Spring 2009 101 Middle East Point of View Assignment]]. After saving the page, you will see your text as a link to the new page. Your group should edit the new page you just created.
Finding Format
A "finding" is just a particular result of research work. An article, book, website, report, etc. can each be a "finding" it you decide that the source plays some significant role in the inquiry. When you are ready to post a finding, click on the edit tab above, copy from the line below through the four dash ("-") signs, and then paste it in for each finding you plan to post.
Finding Title
(For example, "Harms of Global Warming" or "General Book on Global Warming". Consider subtitles to give your finding some specificity)
Finding and Link (Citation in MLA format, with enduring link if possible, at least with as much publication information as you have.)
Summary/Reconstruction (Identify key ideas, reconstruct arguments and explanations, indicate the type of information you found -- research, news, background, editorial, etc. Pay particular attention to the point of view of the source or publication.)
Your Name
