Research Log Part 1 and 2

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 you would like to leave a field blank, 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.

PLEASE READ THE TWO ATTACHMENTS. PLEASE REFER TO PART ONE FOR THE ORIGINAL QUESTION

 

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 you would like to leave a field blank, 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

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2. How does automation impact the jobs outlook in the United States?

How will Step 1 be graded? Step 1 will not receive a grade.

Step 2: Select Your Search Terms

1. 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
Automation	Jobs	United States

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 week 1 for key concepts. Remember that terms like effective, impact or available are not key concepts.

Instructor Comments

Great job picking out the three key concepts!

Additional Comments

1. 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
Electronic Communication, Technology, Industrialization	Employment, Vacancies, Openings, Positions	United States of America, U.S.A, U.S

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 week 1 for a review of identifying alternative/related terms (keywords) for key concepts.

How will Step 2 be graded?

(4–5 points): Lists three key concepts from the research question and identifies at least two relevant alternative/related terms or synonyms as keywords for each concept.

(2–3 points): Lists at least two of the correct key concepts from the research question and includes at least one relevant alternative/related terms or synonyms as keywords.

(0–1 points): Does not correctly identify the key concepts from the research question or relevant alternative/related terms or synonymsas keywords.

Instructor Comments

Good work identifying alternative/related terms!

Additional Comments

Step 2 Grade

5

Step 3: Create a Boolean 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).

(automation OR technology) AND (jobs OR employment OR vacanc*) AND (United States of America OR U.S.)

Example: (marketing OR branding OR advertis*) AND (Internet OR Web) AND (“small business” OR entrepreneurship)

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

How will Step 3 be graded?

(4–5 points): Search statement effectively uses advanced searching techniques to connect all key concepts with few or no errors.

(2–3 points): Search statement effectively uses basic Boolean operators to connect all key concepts with few or no errors.

(0–1 points): Search statement does not include all key concepts or correctly use Boolean operators.

Instructor Comments

Additional Comments

Nice job overall

Remember that phrases (terms of more than one word) must go in quotes

Another place you could use truncation is with employ* to search for employee, employees, employed, and employment

(automation OR technology) AND (jobs OR employ* OR vacanc*) AND (“United States of America” OR U.S.)

Step 3 Grade

4.5

Overall Research Log Project Part 1 Comments

Additional Comments

Nice work!

Research Log Project Part 1 Grade

9.5

 

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Copyright © by University of Maryland University College.

 

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

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1. Research Question

Record your research question from Research Project Log Part 1. Click on My Submissions in Week 1 Content to review your submitted work and instructor feedback. (Step 1)

B.Key Concepts

Record your key concepts from Log Part 1. (Step 2)

1. Original Boolean 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: OneSearch

Access OneSearch from the Library main page.

1. Begin Your Search

Use your Original Boolean Search Statement or a revised search statement based on instructor feedback in OneSearch. Your search results may open in a new tab in your browser.

List the search statement you entered into OneSearch:

1. Review Search Results

How many results did your search retrieve in OneSearch?

Identify and list two or more 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.

1. Refine Your Search

Refine your search using at least two additional techniques. For example, narrow your search by date, add additional keywords to your search, use advanced searching techniques, or limit your search to scholarly articles.

List your final search statement. What additional techniques did you use to refine your search in OneSearch?

How did your second set of search results differ from your first results?

How will Step 2 be graded?

(8–10 points): Lists alternative relevant keywords and refines search using at least two additional search techniques improving search results.

(5–7 points): Identifies alternative keywords from review of search results and refines search using appropriate techniques.

(0–4 points): Does not list alternative relevant keywords or the search is not refined to improve search results.

Step 3: Using a Research Guide to Search A Database

1. Identify a Research Guide

Select a Library Research Guide to explore your topic further.

Example: Guide to Economics and Finance

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

1. Search a Database

OneSearch is cross-search tool that searches many different databases. For this step, you will pick a subject-specific database appropriate for your topic from the research guide you selected. You can use the same search terms you used in Step 2 or try another search strategy but you must use a database other than OneSearch.

What is the name of the database you searched?

Example: PubMed

1. Search Statement

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

How will Step 3 be graded?

(8–10 points): The selected database is from an appropriate research guide. The search statement incorporates advanced searching techniques that reflects a refined strategy and produces effective results in the selected database.

(5–7 points): The selected database is from an appropriate research guide. The search statement is improved and produces adequate results in the selected database.

(0–4 points): The selected database is not from an appropriate research guide or is not relevant for the topic; the search statement is not improved or did not work in the selected database.

Step 4: Select a Relevant Article

1. 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 and more than one or two pages long. Articles from scholarly or trade journals are acceptable.

Article Author/s

Article Title

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

Date Published.

Database with Full Text of Article.

Record DOI or Permalink for article if available, otherwise type N/A. See the Library > Get Help > Linking to e-books and journal articles for help with linking to database articles.

1. Article Type

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

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.

How will Step 4 be graded?

(5 points): The selected article is available in full text in the database and both in-depth and highly relevant to the topic. Article source information is correctly identified.

(3–4 points): The selected article is available in full text in the database and relevant to the topic. Article source information is correctly identified.

(0–2 points): The selected article is not relevant or is too brief to be useful for the topic, the article type is not correctly identified, or the article is not available in full text in the database.

Step 5: Article Evaluation

1. 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: Read the entire article to fully answer the questions.

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

Authority

Reliability

Coverage

Currency

1. 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?

(13–15 points): Thoroughly evaluates the selected article’s authority, reliability, coverage, and currency. Explains in details how the selected article is specifically relevant to the research question.

(10–12 points): Answers evaluation criteria questions and addresses how the selected article is relevant to the research question.

(7–9 points): Minimally answers the evaluation criteria questions, or minimally answers the article relevancy question, or both.

(0–6 points): Does not answer all of the evaluation criteria questions, or satisfactorily answer the article relevancy question, or both.

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 you would like to leave a field blank, 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.

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