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Individual project 1

Assignment overview

Basically, you research what was happening in the world during the week you were born. Choose some specific subject to explore in greater depth from each of your seven Time articles and conduct research meeting the source requirements listed below and using a different search tool for each source. Your final product will include printed evidence of your search processes and brief summaries of the seven new sources you find.

So long as you follow instructions carefully, this assignment should be an easy "A."  But since there are strict requirements in source types and in documenting the research process, your success depends mainly on how carefully you follow directions. If you're uncertain about any part of this assignment, let me know pronto.

Here you will Deborah Stanfield's very helpful tutorial for this assignment: http://mga.libwizard.com/Library-Resources-Rogers-.

Turn in your completed project printed on paper and bound in a folder or thin three-ring binder.


Objectives

The assignment aims at your mastery of the processes for accessing common research materials in (or through) the MGA library. including items in print, digital form, and microfilm or microfiche.


Specifics

Part One, Time Magazine cover: In MGA's microfilm or microfiche holdings, locate the cover for the issue of Time you used in research exercise1. Print the magazine cover.


Part Two, Collecting sources: For the cover story and each of your other six Time articles, locate other sources in (or via) the MGA library that relate to some significant topic in each article, using a different database or search vehicle for each new search and meeting these source type requirements:    

     1 print book from MGA's Macon campus library

    1 ebook accessed through the MGA library

    1 article from a hard-copy journal or magazine in the MGA library collection (print or microfilm/microfiche)

    1 article from a full-text digital version of a magazine or journal article accessed through the MGA library

    1 article from a hard-copy newspaper (print or microfilm/microfiche)

    1 article from a full-text digital version of a newspaper accessed through the MGA library

    1 journal article not owned by MGA or available in GALILEO, obtained through Interlibrary Loan (start on this one early).

Print your search results screen for each new source: To document your research process, print the page of search results showing where you found each source, highlighting the source found. For example, if you find a book through GIL, print the page of GIL search results showing that MGA has that book in Macon, listing its call number and other bibliographic information. Or if you find a journal article through JSTOR, print the screen showing your JSTOR search results containing the journal article and highlighting it.

Also print the first page (at least) of each new source (the title page of a book, the first page of any other article). You may of course print or save the entire article digitally, but only the first page is required in your submitted project.

Database/search vehicle requirements: As noted above, you must use a different database or search vehicle for each source, meaning no database may be used more than once.  Understand that GALILEO is not one single database, but a collection of several hundred distinct databases. You should not, for instance, use Lexis-Nexis to acquire more than one source, nor should you use GIL to locate both your print book and an ebook.

Invalid sources:

  • encyclopedias (including Britannica Online)
  • other issues of Time
  • two items acquired through the same database or search vehicle
  • two sources from the same publication—two articles from the NY Times, e.g.
  • any items from the open-access World Wide Web.

Part Three, Annotations: On separate pages, write summaries (100 words minimum per summary, no more than 200) relating the gist of each of your seven secondary sources. Each summary page should include bibliographic information as it would appear in an MLA-style Works Cited page at the top of the page.  Note: do not summarize the articles from Time, only the seven separate sources you find through the research process.


Part Four: Organizing the Finished Product

When you turn in the project, include the following, in the following order:

1)  Title page
2)  A project checklist, filled out
3)  Table of contents
4)  Time cover (printed from microfilm)
5)  Your findings for each of the seven sources, arranged as follows:
    a)  first page of Time article
    b)  database or search vehicle printout(s), with source highlighted
    c)  copy of first page of secondary source
    d)  bibliographic entry and typed summary of secondary source
6)  Bibliography page (listing separately all seven Time articles and the seven sources you summarize—14 entries total)

If you are confused, don't worry. You will have the chance to review sample completed projects in class and our dedicated PFWR 3180 librarian, Deborah Stanfield, and I both will be available and happy to help throughout the week.