Access GenEd 300 tutorials and written assignments from the ILE project.
SYLLABUS
Unit
One
Core Databases
"The Internet and Library Database / Unit 1 Issues"
Core Databases I
Core Databases II
Full Discussion Credit until the End of Week 3
Assignment Specific Assessment Due at the End of Week 3
Unit
Two
Academic Focus
"Finding Focus, Working with your Starting Point Topic / Unit 2 Issues"
Academic Focus
Full Discussion Credit until the End of Week 6
Assignment Specific Assessment Due at the End of Week 7
Unit
Three
Scholarly Discourse
"Popular vs. Academic Resources / Unit 3 Issues"
Scholarly Discourse
Full Discussion Credit until the End of Week 10
Assignment Specific Assessment Due at the End of Week 11
Unit
Four
Using Information
"Plagiarism and You / Unit 4 Issues"
Using Information
Full Discussion Credit until the End of Week 14
Assignment Specific Assessment Due at the End of Week 15
COURSE INTRODUCTION
What is GenEd 300 about? Well, in a word “research” – but you probably already know that research is not such a simple word. For that reason, GenEd 300 can be better understood as being about the process of research.
As you proceed through GenEd 300, keep in mind that research is not just about finding information, but also includes applying conceptual models in deciding where and how to search. In addition to finding information, effective academic research requires evaluating the information and allowing the whole process to inform your understanding and approach to the research topic. Finally, successful research means using information effectively and ethically.
To break it down, GenEd300 is about:
Finding appropriate research tools to use.
Using those tools effectively.
Evaluating the information you find with those tools.
Focusing or clearly defining your topic.
Applying information effectively and ethically.
Within each of the four course Units, we will touch on these objectives. In Unit 1 , you will become acquainted with a set of “core databases” that can serve as your jumping off point for most any research topic. You will be quizzed on your ability to read information from search results in these databases, and begin to evaluate what you find. As you proceed through this exercise, you will work with a topic of your choosing.
Unit 2 presents ways in which you can define your topic into one that would be appropriate for an academic research paper or project. You will branch off from the core databases to use subject-specific databases. These tools will introduce you to the vocabulary of the topic, and help you better pinpoint resources that best address your topic of interest.
In Unit 3, we will look more closely at what makes a source scholarly or academic, how information is presented in these sources, and how to "read" an acadmic article. You will also learn about bibliographic styles - why they exist and which one is appropriate for you to use.
Unit 4 focuses on helping you prepare for the last written assignment, which is a short annotated bibliography. Your bibliography will relate to the topic you have chosen to worked on during the course of the semester. You will apply a set of standard evaluation criteria to help you write your annotations.
Format of the Course
Tutorials
Each Unit has at least one corresponding tutorial that you will need to read and learn from. Some tutorials will actually demonstrate for you how to do things, so you will learn not just by reading, but also by watching. It is crucial to review and study the Unit tutorial(s) before attempting the Unit's Assignment Specific Assessment (written assignment).
Online Quizzes
You may need to take an online quiz after reading and studying a Unit tutorial. Quizzes are multiple choice, and will not be difficult if you take time with the Unit's tutorial.
Assignment Specific Assessment
Each of the four Units has a written assignment that you will need to complete in order to pass GenEd 300. Each assignment requires approximately one page of material. These assignments are based on the Unit tutorial and the tasks associated with these tutorials.
Discussions
Online "Discussions" are set up for each Unit, and are the place for you to ask questions, and share your experiences. (These discussion areas are set up for threaded discussions, not online chat.)
Each Unit has a broad topic-theme assigned, but you are also welcome to ask questions about the Unit material or assignments. The reward system set up for Discussion participation encourages you to participate in a regular fashion. Take advantage of this and don't wait to the last minute to ask questions or contribute.
How much participation? Students often ask, "How much do I need to write to get my Discussion points?" There is no definitive answer to this. You should participate enough to show you are engaged with your classmates and have thought about the Discussion topic. Your posts do not need to be lengthy, and may just be a question sometimes. Remember, the majority of your grade comes from your written assignments.
