UCOLL300 Web Resource Page for DDP students
COURSE INTRODUCTION
What is UCOLL 300 about? Well, in a word “research” – but you probably already know that research is not such a simple word. For that reason, UCOLL 300 can be better understood as being about the process of research.
As you proceed through UCOLL 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, UCOLL300 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 plagiarism, its different forms, and its implications both inside and outside of academia. Finally, in Unit 4, you will spend some time thinking ahead to your future information literacy issues. The final assignment of the course requires you to write an essay about some topic we've covered in class and how it may impact or influence your professional or personal life after graduation.