Communication Studies

Submitted by Steve Gerstle on July 12th, 2016
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Short Description: 

Using ProQuest SIRS Issues Researcher or similar database, groups of students work together to find and read four informative magazine articles representing a variety of opinions on a topic. For each magazine article they write an MLA citation. In an oral presentation of less than three minutes per group, they summarize the controversy without giving their own opinions and explain why they chose the four articles. Students are told to be prepared to answer questions about their topic and why they selected each of the four articles. Students are given basic instruction on writing an MLA citation and using a database.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
SIRSTopicsBlank.docxdisplayed 1369 times14.58 KB
ESL 52A SIRS Assignment.docxdisplayed 1595 times16.57 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Develop successful search strategies appropriate for specific tools. Locate, evaluate, synthesize, organize and present credible information that fulfills the identified information need.

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

Can be adapted for higher level ESL classes.

Assessment or Criteria for Success
(e.g. rubric, guidelines, exemplary sample paper, etc.): 
AttachmentSize
ESL 52 Assessment.docxdisplayed 1004 times14.22 KB
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

Students tend to summarize the articles rather than the controversy. Also, students tend to want to give their own opinions. It is important to stress that they are to summarize the controversy and different perspectives. I sometimes have them think of it as a work assignment. The boss is a very busy person and wants you to research the topic and provide an executive summary. It is a challenging assignment, but I have found that the students rise to the challenge.

Suggested Citation: 
Gerstle, Steve. "Summarizing different perspectives on a controversial topic." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/summarizing-different-perspectives-controversial-topic.

Teaching Resource

S.O.S. for Information Literacy is a dynamic web-based multimedia resource for educators that promises to make a significant contribution to enhancing the teaching of information literacy skills to students in K-16.

Submitted by Dennis Isbell on April 1st, 2016
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Short Description: 

A brief two page handout on how to read abstracts for scholarly journals for lower division undergraduates in particular. Examples include one from social sciences and one from humanities.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Scholarly Journal Abs Handout1-16Rev.docxdisplayed 1476 times56.9 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Evaluating Sources

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

First-year composition classes. Introduced when students were searching then selecting scholarly journal articles for their research paper assignments.

Suggested Citation: 
Isbell, Dennis. "Making Sense of Scholarly Journal Abstracts." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/making-sense-scholarly-journal-abstracts.

Teaching Resource

The Information Literacy in the Disciplines site is published by the Instruction Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries.

Submitted by Elizabeth Galoozis on March 2nd, 2016
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Short Description: 

This annotated bibliography assignment has five different versions for five different groups of disciplines: arts, humanities, social analysis (social sciences), life and physical sciences, and quantitative reasoning. Each is meant to give students a way to identify and explore the key types of scholarly sources in those disciplinary categories; for example, to understand what is meant by a primary source in each category. The titles of these disciplinary categories are specific to the General Education Seminar categories at my institution, as are the titles of the research guides suggested in the assignment. It could be used as a precursor to a research paper or as a standalone assignment.

Learning Outcomes: 

Identify the contributions that different types of information sources (e.g., experimental research, creative works, primary sources, theory) make to disciplinary knowledge.

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This assignment is part of a suite of resource,s including tutorials and library instruction, for the General Education seminar, a course for first-year students meant to introduce them to modes of disciplinary inquiry.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

The other resources for this course may be found at http://libguides.usc.edu/ge.

Suggested Citation: 
Galoozis, Elizabeth. "Annotated Bibliography / Introduction to Disciplines." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/annotated-bibliography-introduction-disciplines.
Submitted by Lani Smith on February 17th, 2016
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Short Description: 

Students create an entry in the Fremont Wiki - http://localwiki.net/fremont. Students incorporate information literacy concepts, have hands-on experience conducting research, and create actual content on the Internet [while also learning how easy it is for anyone to change that content]. It could also be a great chance to get students into local museums and archives.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
create a fremont wiki entry.docdisplayed 996 times537.5 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

coming soon

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This would be greatly strengthened taught in a learning community. Could work well with English, History, Journalism, LGBT History, and more.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

If there isn't one in your town, a LocalWiki is easy to set up. You can also contact the folks who run it who graciously supply their wonderful support. https://localwiki.org One of the exciting things this does is to get some of this history out of the archives into to a wider audience. See Oakland Wiki http://oaklandwiki.org/ for an incredibly dynamic example.

Suggested Citation: 
Smith, Lani. "Create an entry in a LocalWiki." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/create-entry-localwiki.

Teaching Resource

A list of organizations, journals, and programs that offer support related to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in a particular discipline from Illinois State University.

Teaching Resource

An alphabetic, annotated list of undergraduate research journals that may provide the opportunity for students to use the work of peers and to submit their own work as part of their research programs.

Submitted by Raymond Pun on January 5th, 2016
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Short Description: 

A general worksheet for students to find key sources in selected databases for their assignments in Communication Studies.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Comm3.docxdisplayed 2126 times5.51 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

1. Understand different database features 2. Finding specific kind of resources: scholarly, secondary, trade publications 3. Become comfortable translating selected resources into APA citations

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

The assignment is delivered as a handout to supplement student's speech/research projects

Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

Some programs will not use APA but will MLA or Chicago, different styles. Adapt when needed.

Suggested Citation: 
Pun, Raymond. "Basic First Year Communication Studies Assignment." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2016. https://projectcora.org/assignment/basic-first-year-communication-studies-assignment.
Submitted by Elisa Acosta on August 4th, 2015
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Short Description: 

Students interview their professor(s) and ask them to describe how they do research, how research gets disseminated in their discipline, etc. Each student can ask one question below. This assignment can be useful as a “first day of class” activity for a First Year Seminar. Novice researchers are introduced to scholarly discourse and discipline-specific approaches to producing knowledge by experts.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Interview a scholar.docxdisplayed 1325 times16.94 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

• Students will articulate the processes of information creation and dissemination in a particular discipline.

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

Variations: 1. The writing instructor interviews the content faculty member in front of the class. 2. Interview two of your professors from different disciplines. Compare and contrast their answers. How are the disciplines similar and how are they different? Discuss the differences in the role of publication and scholarly communication across disciplines. Assessment: Students are asked to listen critically and carefully to their professor’s interview and then write a brief reflective essay/journal entry/writing response. Writing prompt: How are questions and new ideas formulated, introduced, and disseminated your professor’s field? Describe the “typical” research process.

Suggested Citation: 
Acosta, Elisa. "Interview a Scholar." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2015. https://projectcora.org/assignment/interview-scholar.

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