Researching Backward
Finding and Determining the Use of Sources in a Published Piece
For this paper, you have three primary objectives. First, you want to use your library researching skills to locate the original sources from the attached piece: "Brain Basics," chapter 3 from Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain, by Renate Nummela Caine and Geoffrey Caine. Second, you will write about that search. And, third, you will discuss how two of the sources you locate are used in the original piece.
First Objective
For the first objective, the search itself, you need to take these steps:
1. Read "Brain Basics," from Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain. For this first reading, read for content: We'll be discussing it in class. You'll also write a brief summary of the chapter for your paper.
2. Reread the article, identifying all the source material. Every time the authors use material from a source, mark the text.
3. Find each of the sources you identified in the chapter in the bibliography, mark these as well.
4. Categorize the sources as either:
5. You should submit this material as a table, chart or similar format.
6. Look up all the sources on Aladin.
7. Indicate on the table which sources are available at AU.
8. From the sources available at AU
Second Objective
For the second objective, you'll want to pay attention to and write up your metacognitive processes as you achieve the steps in the first objective. These processes are the strategies you take, the logic or reasoning behind them, your evaluation of their success, and whatever else influences your achievement of the objective. Furthermore, you'll need to discuss the actual activities in which you are involved. You want to be detailed enough that if someone were to follow in your footsteps, they would be able to do so with relative ease.
For example, if you are writing up steps 2 and 3, it might read like this:
My first objective was to identify all the sources used in the text, "Brain Basics." Knowing that parenthetical references are the key to finding sources, I read through the article, highlighting each parenthetical reference. I had to be careful, though, because the opening direct quotation from Leslie Hart was not documented in the usual manner but still counted as a source. I almost missed it, and it made me extra cautious searching the rest of the chapter. At the end, I found that I had highlighted a total of NN sources. I did note that a couple of the sources were used more than once. The next step was to turn to the bibliography and identify the specific journal articles, books, and other sources used in the chapter. In matching the parenthetical references to the entries on the bibliography, I realized I had at least two ways I could approach this task. I could work backward from the bibliography or I could start with the text, looking for each author in the bibliography. The second approach made much more sense to me. Working from the smaller list, the sources, to the larger list, the bibliography, would be a much better use of my effort.
In flipping between the text and the bibliography, I made several interesting discoveries. First of all and most surprising, one source (xxxxx, xxxxx, and xxxxx) wasn't listed in the bibliography! This is an egregious error on someone's part: the authors? the editor? the publisher? I wonder if I'll be able to locate the source and submit it for bonus points. I'll tuck that thought in the back on my mind to work on later. The second discovery was that I could have easily combined steps 2 and 3 and worked on them simultaneously. Doing so would have saved me a little time. And I could use this time for steps 4 and 5, categorizing the sources into a table.
Third Objective
For the third objective, you'll be working with three pieces: the chapter entitled "Brain Basics"; one of journal articles; and, one of the books from which a direct quotation has been taken for the chapter. For this section, your task is as follows:
For example, a passage might be an amplification of the ideas presented by the authors might shed light on something they assert, it might support their assertions by giving an example, or something else. You'll need to read all the pieces very carefully and do some analysis in order to figure this out. . . and the journal article will certainly be the more difficult of the two to do.
Expectations
This assignment's evaluative process will look at more than written expression, although the clarity, accuracy and grace of your writing are always import. The search process is equally important. It's crucial that you keep notes as you search so you can write up all that you did and thought. And, as always, it's equally important that you allow enough time to complete the assignment well. Recall the typical steps of a polished paper: planning, organizing, drafting, revising, editing and proofreading.
Technicalities
Process Work This project is one for which you should be generating a number of notes working pages, drafts, early versions, edited versions, proofreading versions and more. You need to turn in all of this process work with your paper. Papers not turned in with process work will not be graded until that work is turned in. If the process work is not turned in, the paper will not be graded.
Suggested Length 5 to 6 pages of 10- or 12-point Times, Times Roman or similar font. This does not include the table or chart from Step 5
Format Please follow the template handout distributed in class; it is based on the APA style of documentation, which is the style we'll be following for this class.
Due Dates:
Grading Look to the "Grading Criteria" handout for the specific qualities for each grade. This paper will be graded on an A, B, C, D, F scale; plus and minus grades will be given. It counts for 10% of your final course grade
Reminder Refer to page 4 of the course syllabus for details that pertain to all formal papers, such as late penalties, revisions, and more.
Hints
Best Bets at the Library Without doubt, the best time to use the library is as early in the day as possible. At that time, competition for sources is less fierce and the resources used from the previous day have been reshelved, which can make a world of difference for an assignment like this. If you need help, check with the reference librarian. This means you'll have to do your work during the time the reference desk is staffed by reference librarians.
Courtesy Your classmates will need the same sources that you do. Be kind: return books to the appropriate site (which is the cart from which the librarians reshelf the books, not the stacks); don't tear pages out of the journals; and, don't "hide" journals or books because you want to find them later.
Collaborative Work You are welcome to work with a classmate on the first objective in this project, as long as you BOTH do the work. For example, you must sit at the Aladin terminal together to find the sources. When it comes time to write up objectives two and three, you're on your own. However, you may run drafts by your classmates, but "the content and language must be your own" (see page 2 of syllabus).
Bonus Find the source in "Brain Basics" that is not listed in the bibliography. If you can bring me the source itself, I'll increase your grade by a step (e.g., from a B to a B+).
Notes
As class discussions progress, the nature of this paper assignment may evolve or be refined. It is your responsibility to keep abreast of how it does so.
And, most importantly, don't forget to use me as a resource. If you are having difficulty, need clarification or would just like to talk about your paper, stop by during my office hours.
Please note: this activity plan is only a suggestion. While it is certainly a workable and good plan, it is not prescriptive. You should make a plan for yourself that suites your own needs and strategies.
Objective One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Complete by:
1. Read and draft summary of chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 27
2. First Major Activity (at home) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 28
3. Second Major Activity (in the library) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 31
4. Third Major Activity (still in the library) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 31
Objectives Two & Three (at home/computer)
1. Plan paper (outline) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 1
2. Generate text for first version of paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 2
3. First Revision (for critique) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 4
4. Submit early version for critique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 5
5. Revising process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 9
6. Editing process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Feb 10
7. Proofreading process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 11
8. Final version due . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 12
Please note: this outline is only a suggestion. While it is certainly a workable and good outline it is not prescriptive. You should make an outline for yourself that suites your own activities and ideas.
- A. Summary of chapter (Step1 ) (.5)
- B. Search plan (.5)
- A. First Major Activity
- 1. Step 2 (.25)
- 2. Step 3 (.25)
- 3. Step 4 (.25)
- 4. Step 5 (include table) (--)
- B. Second Major Activity
- 1. Step 6 (1)
- 2. Step 7 (--)
- 1. Step 8 (.25)
- 2. Transition paragraph to third objective (.25)
- A. Journal Article
- 1. Brief summary of content (.5)
- 2. Discussion of how article is used in chapter (.5)
- B. Direct quotation from book
- 1. Brief summary of content (.5)
- 2. Discussion of how d.q. is used in chapter (.5)
Total = 6 pages
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