Course Research Scavenger Hunt

Instructions

Items to find in the Course Research Scavenger Hunt. Hint: follow right down the list and through the bullet points!

1) Decide what Primary Text you are focusing on for your Course Research from the choices in our Textbook.

2) Decide on your Reading Lens for the Course Research (we discussed these in the How to Read activity). It may NOT be Plot lens. Your reading lens should be one of the following:

• • Character motivation - why a character did what they did

  • Character relationships - how the characters relate to and interact with each other

  • Societal influence - the values or mores (religious, political, etc.) that influenced the text and/or what the text can tell us about the society in which it was written

  • Societal connections - comparing and contrasting the society of the text with other societies (contemporary or otherwise)

  • Historical significance - the environment (religious, political, artistic, quotidian, etc.) in which the text was written and its effects and/or what the text can tell us about this environment

  • Author intent - what the writer intended

  • Reader response - what the reader can take from the text (whether or not this is the same as author intent)

  • Allegorical possibilities - the symbolic or metaphoric meanings

  • Moral - the message of the text

  • Textual connections - how the text connects to other readings

3) Before talking with a librarian, fill out as much of this worksheet as possible (this is the worksheet you worked on with our in-class guest librarian). The responses will maximize your time with a librarian. 

4) Obtain a signed Library Visit Form.

• • Print the Library Visit Form.

  • Before you talk with a librarian, you should complete the worksheet provided by our in-class guest librarian (Step #3 above). Take the completed worksheet with you to talk to your librarian.

  • Go to the library and consult with one of the librarians about your research. You are encouraged to make appointments here (under "Schedule a Research Appointment").

  • Have your librarian fill out the Library Visit Form.

  • Scan or take a photo of the completed form and include it in your assignment.

5) Keep a Search Log, detailing how you found your ONE source for this assignment, including:

• Click for a template that you will cut and paste into your own document. Note all of the columns and what you should be logging, which include:

  • Library research databases or other tools you used and the order in which you consulted them. You should be using multiple databases and tools. Note: no one tool contains all of the information of the world.

  • Search terms you used and the order in which you tried them. Note: do not forget to use multiple search terms in each tool.

  • Criteria you used to narrow down your search. Why did you change your search term/strategy?

  • Criteria you used to determine credibility of the source.

  • Reasons you chose your final source.

• Pro tip: keep records of (or copies of) the other research you find during your search to use later for your Course Research.

6) Select ONE credible, fact-checked, academic Source relevant to the topic of your Course Research.

• Questions about how to find a source? Think back to the activities we have completed in class. Also why don't you ask a librarian?

• Questions concerning credibility? Again, think back to the activities we have completed in class. Also ask Dr. T or our librarian! Another source is here.

• Also read further in: Research and Citation Help

• Preferred options for type of source: journal article or book article/chapter (as these have enough content but are short enough to profile in the Scavenger Hunt), but the sources should be evaluated on their relevance and credibility first.

7) Provide the correct MLA Citation for this source (i.e. what would appear in a Works Cited).

• Questions concerning citation? Purdue OWL is a fabulous source.

• A Fitchburg State source is here.

• Also see: Research and Citation Help

8) Provide a Summary of source’s content, particularly its argument (minimum 200 words).

• Need help with writing a summary? See: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Writing Center: Abstracts

• As always, if you directly quote from the source, you should use parenthetical (in-text) citations

9) Provide a Critique of source’s content (minimum 200 words).

• Primary questions to answer: is the source effective in proving its argument and how? Is it credible and why?

• What is a critique? See: Cornell University Critically Analyzing Information Sources (under Content Analysis)

• As always, if you directly quote from the source, you should use parenthetical (in-text) citations

10) Provide a Draft Course Research Thesis Statement, with additional Details about your reading lens and your primary text (see #1 and #2).

11) Turn in on Google Classroom.

Your final document should include:

• • Library Visit Form 

  • Search Log

  • MLA Citation for the ONE Selected Secondary Source

  • Summary of Source (minimum of 200 words)

  • Critique of Source (minimum of 200 words)

  • Draft Course Research Thesis Statement with Additional Details

Further Resources

• Resources - Research and Citation Help

• Purdue OWL: MLA Formatting and Style Guide