Questions we Can Help you to Answer

Paper Instructions:

Instructions: Work through each step of this log, answering each question as the directions indicate. Each step, except Step 1, will receive a grade, and the sum of these grades will constitute your total grade for Research Log Part 1. Refer to the section on how each step of the log will be graded for detailed grading information.

Most fields require text entry. If a required field is left blank, your work will not be submitted. If there is no information to provide in a specific field, simply type N/A.

Review your work before submitting it to your instructor for grading; you will be unable to edit it further after submitting it.

Note: Be sure to review the examples and hints provided with each step! Your answers should be similar to the examples.

Step 1: Select Your Research Question

2. What effect does violence in the media have on children?
How will Step 1 be graded? Step 1 will not receive a grade.
Step 2: Select Your Search Terms

A. Identifying Key Concepts

List the three key concepts (words, phrases, or both) that best describe the main concepts of your selected research question from Step 1.

Key Concept 1    Key Concept 2    Key Concept 3
Violence    Media    Children
Example: For the research question "How can marketing on the Internet be effective for a small business?" the key concepts are: marketing, Internet, small business

Hint: Refer to module 1 for key concepts.

Instructor Comments

Great job picking out the three key concepts!
Additional Comments

B. Brainstorming Alternative/Related Terms

Review the key concepts you listed in each of the boxes above (Step 2, Part A) and identify alternative terms/synonyms or related terms for each key concept in the appropriate box below.

Key Concept 1
Alternative/Related Terms    Key Concept 2
Alternative/Related Terms    Key Concept 3
Alternative/Related Terms
fights, brutality, physical force, bullying, violate    television, music, artists, celebrities, social sites    children, kids, teenagers, school age
Example: For the research question example in Step 2, Part A:

Key Concept 1: marketing
Key Concept 1 Alternative/Related Terms: branding, advertising, promotion
Hint: Refer to module 1 for a review of identifying alternative/related terms (keywords) for key concepts.

How will Step 2 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0 points): Does not demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts of the research question or identify any relevant alternative/related terms or synonyms.

Satisfactory (1–4 points): Does not correctly list the three key concepts from the research question in Part A and identifies only one relevant alternative/related term or synonym for each key concept listed in Part B.

Excellent (5 points): Accurately lists three key concepts of the research question, thus demonstrating an understanding of the research question, and identifies two or more relevant alternative/related terms for each key concept, indicating some creative brainstorming.

Instructor Comments

Good work identifying alternative/related terms!
Additional Comments

Step 2 Grade

5
Step 3: Create a Search Statement

Using all of the key concepts you identified in Step 2, Part A and some of the keywords (alternative/related terms) you identified in Step 2, Part B, create a search statement that effectively uses Boolean operators and advanced searching techniques (nesting, truncation, phrase searching).

(violence or fights or brutality*) AND (media OR television) AND ("children" OR kids)
Example: (marketing OR branding OR advertis*) AND (Internet OR Web) AND ("small business" OR entrepreneurship)

Hint: Refer to module 1 for a review of Boolean operators, search statements, and advanced searching techniques.

How will Step 3 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–1 points): Does not construct a reasonable search statement.

Satisfactory (2–4 points): Constructs a basic search statement that effectively uses Boolean operators to connect key concepts.

Excellent (5 points): Effectively uses Boolean operators and advanced searching techniques (nesting, truncation, phrase searching) to construct a search statement with no spelling errors.

Instructor Comments

Phrase Searching: Remember that only phrases must be in quotation marks, not single words. Please review phrase searching in module 1.
Additional Comments

no quotes for children ... you could have truncated: child*
Step 3 Grade

4.75
Overall Research Log Project Part 1 Comments

Good job.



Research Log Project Part 2 for
Christopher Holloway

Note: This project has not yet been saved.
Instructions: Work through each step of this log, answering each question as the directions indicate. Step 1 is not graded. Steps 2 through 5 will each receive a grade, and the sum of these grades will constitute your total grade for Research Log Project Part 2. Refer to the section on how each step of the log will be graded for detailed grading information.

Step 1: Thinking Back to Research Log Project Part 1

A. Research Question

Record your research question from Research Project Log Part 1 (Step 1)


B. Original Search Statement

Record your original search statement from Research Log Project Part 1 (Step 3)


How will Step 1 be graded?

Step 1 will not receive a grade.

Step 2: UMUC Library Database Search

A. Database Search

Use the search statement you recorded in Step 1, Part B to search in one of the following UMUC library databases:

Academic Search Complete
MasterFILE Premier
Which database did you search?  

Hint: Refer to Week 2 for a review of UMUC library databases.

B. Review Search Results

Review the search results from the database search you performed in Step 2, Part A and answer all of the following questions:

Were you able to successfully use the search statement from Step 1, Part B in the database, or did you receive an error/search failed message when trying your search?

Yes, I was able to successfully use the original search statement from Step 1, Part B in the database.
No, the search was unsuccessful and I received an error/search failed message.

If you received an error/search failed message from the database, were you able to identify the problem with your search statement?

N/A—I did not receive an error/search failed message.
Yes, I was able to identify why I received an error/search failed message.
No, I was unable to identify why I received an error/search failed message.

Did you have to revise the search statement you created in Step 1, Part B in order to retrieve search results in the database search you performed in Step 2, Part A?

Yes, I had to revise the search statement in order to retrieve relevant search results in the database.
No, I did not have to revise the search statement in order to retrieve relevant search results in the database.

Identify and list additional keywords that you may use to search further on this topic by reviewing article titles, article abstracts, subject headings, and the articles themselves.

Hint: Refer to Week 2 for a review of databases, including subject headings in databases.


C. Revised Search Statement

Review your instructor's comments from Research Log Project Part 1 for ways to improve your search statement. Review the additional keywords you identified in the box above (in Step 2, Part B). Based on this information, enter a revised search statement in the box below, using more effective search terms and techniques.

Hint: The revised search statement must be different in some way than the search statement that you used in Research Log Project Part 1 (Step 3) and recorded above in Step 1, Part B. Review the hints and examples in Research Log Project Part 1. For example, you might add, subtract, or change alternative search terms, or you might alter your use of truncation to discover more focused, relevant results. Refer to Week 1 for a review of Boolean operators, search statements, and advanced searching techniques.


How will Step 2 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 points): Does not list alternative relevant keywords, or the search statement is not revised, or both.

Satisfactory (3–4 points): The revised search statement is adequate and demonstrates some appropriate advanced searching techniques correctly, but does not incorporate instructor feedback from Research Log Project Part 1 or choice of alternative keywords does not reflect careful review of search results.

Excellent (5 points): Lists alternative relevant keywords that demonstrate the student reviewed article titles, abstracts, subject headings, and articles. The search statement is effectively revised based on both instructor feedback from Research Log Project Part 1 and database search results from Step 2 and expertly demonstrates advanced searching techniques.

Step 3: Subject Guide Search

Try your search statement in a different UMUC library database than the one you searched in Step 2, Part A. Consult a subject guide on the UMUC Library website appropriate to your research question to help you identify the relevant databases in which to research your topic.

A. Subject Guide

What is the name of the subject guide you used to locate an appropriate database in which to search?

Example: Guide to Linguistics Resources

Hint: Refer to Week 2 for a review of subject guides.


B. Database Name

What is the name of the database in which you searched?

Example: AnthroSource

Hint: This must be a different database than the database you searched in Step 2, Part A.


C. Search Statement

Enter the search statement you used to successfully search the database.

Hint: You can use the revised search statement that you recorded above (Step 2, Part C) or a new, further revised search statement. This must be the statement that you used to get the results recorded in Step 5 below.


How will Step 3 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 point): The selected database is not new or from an appropriate subject guide; the search statement did not work in the selected database.

Satisfactory (3–4 points): The selected database is from an appropriate subject guide, and the search statement is adequate and produces results in the selected database.

Excellent (5 points): The selected database is from an appropriate subject guide, and the search statement is effectively revised and produces results in the selected database.

Step 4: Select a Relevant Article

A. Citation Information

From the search results you retrieved in Step 3, select a full-text, in-depth article that is relevant to your research question. The article should not just be a brief overview of the topic but rather should address the key concepts of your research question and be as in-depth as possible, preferably written by an expert or credentialed author(s) in the field. Record the citation information in the spaces below.

Hint: Do NOT select newspaper or popular magazine articles, encyclopedia entries, or very brief journal articles (including editorials or letters to the editor), that would be useful only for background research. The article must be an in-depth article on your topic.

Article Title


Periodical/Publication Title (e.g., Harvard Business Review).


B. Article Type

Is the source (periodical/publication) of the article scholarly, trade, or popular?

Hint: Refer to table 2.4 in Week 2 for a review of periodical literature types. Consult the database Ulrichsweb Global Serial Directory for assistance if needed.


How can you tell?

Hint: Review the article itself to describe the characteristics of the periodical type in more detail.


C. Database

In which UMUC library database did you find the full text of the selected article?


How will Step 4 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 point): The selected article is not relevant or is too brief to be useful for the topic, or the article type is not correctly identified.

Satisfactory (3–4 points): The selected article is relevant to the topic, and the article type is correctly identified.

Excellent (5 points): The selected article is both in-depth and highly relevant to the topic, and the article type is correctly identified and fully evaluated.

Step 5: Article Evaluation

A. Evaluate the Article Content

Using the general evaluation criteria described in Week 3, explain in the boxes below how the article you selected meets each of the criteria (authority, reliability, coverage, and currency). Describe each aspect of your selected article in detail.

Hint: Refer to the table 3.2, which describes authority, reliability, coverage, and currency.

Authority


Reliability


Coverage


Currency


B. Article Relevancy

Explain why you selected this particular article (Step 4) and how it is relevant to your research question. What are some specific points the article made that would assist you in writing a paper that addresses your research question? Your response must be at least two complete sentences.

Hint: Refer to Week 3 for information on analyzing sources and evaluating content.


How will Step 5 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 points): Does not answer all of the evaluation criteria questions, or satisfactorily answer the article relevancy question, or both.

Satisfactory (3–6 points): Minimally answers the evaluation criteria questions, or minimally answers the article relevancy question, or both.

Very Good (7–9 points): Answers evaluation criteria questions adequately but with little detail, or answers article relevancy question with little detail, or both.

Excellent (10 points): Thoroughly responds to the evaluation criteria questions with details about the selected article's authority, reliability, coverage, and currency, and thoroughly responds to the article relevancy question.

To save a draft of your work on this project to return to at a later time, use the Save Draft button below. The next time you return to Research Log Project Part 2, the fields you have entered will be retrieved and entered in the project form.

Note: Most fields require text entry. If a required field is left blank, your work will not be submitted. The empty fields will be marked with asterisks to make it easier for you to supply the missing information and resubmit the form. If there is no information to provide in a specific field, simply type N/A.

When you have completed this project, you can submit your work to your instructor by using the Submit Research Log Project Part 2 for Grading button below. Review your work before you do this; you will be unable to edit it further after submitting it.