ENGLISH 145Week 3

AgendaCurious Researcher: Quiz

Typical Research Process

Class Activity: Evaluating sources

Reading critically and strategically

In class reading: “Is google making us stupid”?

Assignments for next week.

A reminder: We’re meeting at the Library on Thursday!--at room 213c, located on the main floor of Milner.

Class Quiz on Curious Researcher

1. What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?

2. What does “peer reviewed” mean?

3. List the following sources from most authoritative to less authoritative (i.e. pyramid of library sources): specialized magazines, encyclopedias, government documents, wikipedia/google, trade books, peer reviewed academic journals, scholarly books, newspapers.

4. Why are journal articles better than magazine articles?

Typical Research Process

Research Strategies1.Find a subject that interests you.

2. Make sure that you can do a thorough job of research.

3. Develop a strategy for your research early on.

4. Attack your questions from multiple levels google, wikipedia, and library)—You are likely to succeed to explore your topic if you search it with various tools

Developing your research questions

One of the most effective ways to get started on your research is to think of your topic in terms of a question.

Try to avoid yes/no questions.(e.g. Is affirmative action necessary?)

Try to come up with a series of questions that start with: who, what, where, how, when.

How are prisoners from a non-Western ethic background treated in the U.S.?

Why are organic products more expensive than non-organic products?

What is the relationship between anorexia and advertising?

Selective reading for your research projects: The importance of audience

What is the difference between a journal article and a magazine article?

Suicide among college students. Compare the following articles:

http://psycnet.apa.org/?fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/0735-7028.32.1.97

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1194020,00.html

See this! http://www.ahrp.org/cms/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=171

Times….Anne Giedinghagen wanted desperately to stay

in school. Having struggled with depression and anorexia since the sixth grade, the rail-thin Cornell junior was meeting regularly with a therapist at the university's counseling center in Ithaca, N.Y. But late last fall, when she told her therapist about her increasingly strong urge to kill herself, Giedinghagen received an ultimatum from the school she loved so much: she had to get better or she would have to leave. So she did what any crafty 20-year-old would do…..

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. Vol 32(1), Feb 2001, 97-100.

Are suicidal thoughts and depression increasing or decreasing among college students? What life circumstances are the most critical to explore with depressed or suicidal college students? This article focuses on the rate of self-assessed depression and suicide among college students and examines contributing factors and help-seeking behavior. Results of the study indicated that 53% of the sample stated that they experienced depression since beginning college, with 9% reporting that they had considered committing suicide since beginning college. Suggestions for college mental health practitioners related to programming, prevention, and psychoeducation are described.

Evaluating sources, finding trustworthy articles

See CR page 76

See CR pages 78-79

Researching sources and evaluating them

Write down one research question that interest you on a post-in note

Find three articles that are relevant to your question.

Share your articles with a class mate and evaluate their reliability based on pages 76-78

Reading Academic Texts:Active reading with annotated

textsThe following is a list of some techniques that you can use to annotate

text:

Underline important terms.

Circle definitions and meanings.

Write key words and definitions in the margin.

Signal where important information can be found with key words or symbols in the margin.

Write short summaries in the margin at the end of sub-units.

Write the questions in the margin next to the section where the answer is found.

Indicate steps in a process by using numbers in the margin.

Critical and Strategic Reading

Critical reading is NOT a skill. It is a learnt practice.

Mastering the critical reading skills require some time. Be patient with yourself and take writing/reading intensive courses like this one!

Remember that different texts require different reading. Each text has different audience and social purpose.

Annotating text while reading helps.

http://www.bucks.edu/~specpop/annotate-ex.htm

DISCUSSION QUESTIONSSee two texts (visual and written) and answer

these questions:

HOW DO YOU READ THESE TEXTS??

WHAT ARE THE CLAIMS AND ARGUMENTS MADE BY THESE TEXTS?

WHO ARE THESE TEXTS WRITTEN FOR?

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google

AssignmentsMake sure that you blog about your research

questions

Bring three key descriptors for your library research on Thursday. Meeting at room 213c, located on the main floor of Milner.

For next Tuesday, please prepare for “Could you clarify, Sir/Madam!?” CR page. 84 and 85. You will have no more than 5 minutes in your informal presentations!