Research
ENG 370: Advanced Composition
Unit 2
August 27-Sept. 14, 2001

Objectives

By the end of this unit, you should:
  • be able to find print sources in a library;
  • know how to use interlibrary loan;
  • know how to use URLs, subject directories, and search engines to find Internet sources;
  • be able to summarize, quote, paraphrase, and cite source material;
  • know the difference between facts and interpretation;
  • know how to evaluate a source's credibility;
  • be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources;
  • know the meanings of relevant terms.

Assignments

Please complete these assignments on or before the dates in bold. 

Aug. 27: Read Be Your Best: Research
Aug. 31: Post paragraph about your subject and notes on two sources
Sept. 7: Post notes on four sources
Sept. 10: Post notes on eight sources
Sept. 14: Post annotated bibliography

Updated August 24, 2001
© Mark Canada, 2001
mark.canada@uncp.edu

Introduction

Whether you are writing a scholarly article, a business proposal, a legal brief, or a political speech, you probably will need to begin by conducting research.  Once you have surveyed the observations and interpretations of others in your field, you can make your own contribution to the discussion, perhaps expanding on someone else's point or arguing against it.  In this unit, you will learn to track down a variety of useful sources, including general and subject encyclopedias, scholarly monographs, manuscripts, government documents, and articles in a variety of periodicals, from newspapers to scholarly journals.  You also will practice evaluating and using these sources.

We will meet in the reference section of the main library throughout this unit.  Please bring a three-ring binder, plenty of paper, IBM-formatted diskettes, your library card, and coins to make photocopies.

Practice

Below are some activities designed to help you master the knowledge and skills covered in this unit.  Some of these activities will take place in class.  I encourage you to use the others outside class to help you master the material in this unit.
  1. Brainstorming: Make a list of things that interest you.  I suggest that you concentrate on subjects related to your major or career aspirations.  For example, try to remember topics that you read about in text books or heard about in lectures. 
  2. Questions: Choose one of the things on your list and explore it further.  Try to come up with questions that begin with the words who, what, when, where, why, and how.
  3. Subject Selection: Review the instructions for the analytical article.  Use subject encyclopedias and other sources to do preliminary research on one or more of the subjects that appeared in your brainstorming list.  In "Analytical Article (Draft 1)" on your online portfolio, post a paragraph about a subject that you would like to explore.  Describe some background for this subject, explain your interest in it, and identify a few useful sources you have found.
  4. Library Research Chart: Divide a sheet of notebook paper into two columns by drawing a vertical line about two inches from the left margin.  In the left column, write "Key words" at the top and "Call numbers" in the middle. On the right side of the line, write "Resources."  Use this chart to record key words you can use to search for information on your topic, call numbers of books on your topic, and the titles of subject encyclopedias, almanacs, and other resources that may contain relevant information.  Finally, locate the sources and check out or photocopy them.  Place photocopies in your research notebook.  Use interlibrary loan to order items not in the library. 
  5. Internet Research Chart: Divide a sheet of notebook paper into two columns by drawing a vertical line about two inches from the left margin.  In the left column, write "Key words" at the top. On the right side of the line, write "Web Sites."  Now try to locate some information about your subject.  Begin by trying to guess the URL of a related site.  Then, explore at least two subject directories.  Finally, experiment with keywords and Boolean operators on at least two search engines.  Use your chart to record key words you can use to search for information on your topic, as well as the titles of Web sites that contain information about your subject.  Make sure to record the URL of each relevant site.  
  6. Advanced Research: During class, a reference librarian will guide your through finding and using a variety of sources.

Conclusion

Although our unit on research ends Sept. 14, your research probably will continue for several more weeks, even as you write and revise your draft.  Indeed, I hope that you will continue to draw on the material you learned during this unit as you conduct research in the future.

In our next unit, we will turn to the process of writing a draft.  You will learn a number of strategies designed to help you move from absorbing and analyzing information to expressing your own ideas about it in writing.