The placement and accessibility of the activities provide quick and easy checks to assess whether students have understood the concepts of the chapters. As an educator... While instructors may wish to supplement or replace some of the exercise sets in the text with their own assessments, the content of the text provides ample coverage if selected to serve as a primary textbook for a foundational information literacy course. Optimum conditions for reading 6. When you write an academic paper, you must first try to find a topic or a question that is relevant and appropriate. Overall, the structure is straightforward and logical. read more. A slightly altered index format would make the chapter topics more readily available and accessed. This book is accurate and comprehensive. read more. Readers will find the textbook inclusive. The text is written with simple language and explanations are given for more technical terminology (e.g. 11, 12 are copyright and fair use. Because this book was created for students at Ohio State University, it is sometimes quite specific about tools or processes that are unique to OSU. The content is presented is accurate and in an unbiased manner for students to easily grasp the process and concepts. For example: the importance of the set of questions that are asked at the beginning is that the answers will be used mostly to clarify the end goals of a research. Perhaps if the authors include more examples for citations they could pull from culturally different sources then, but the material here was so broad in terms of textual sources it was in no way exclusive. I will use this book for my undergraduate research course as it gives a very good introduction to research, from narrowing the topic to turning questions into hypotheses. The links and examples of the services provided may need updating to keep them accurate but the nature of the online format makes this easily possible. The authors consistently explain concepts well and provide easy-to-understand examples that are approachable for the undergraduate audience. Ch. Choosing & Using Sources presents a process for academic research and writing, from formulating your research question to selecting good information and using it effectively in your research assignments. This text offers a comprehensive breakdown of the academic research process, with special effort made to demystify jargon that may present itself in either the classroom or library environment. For a text written to a 4-year university/college audience the text was good. The book provides a thorough introduction and how to regarding sources in academic writing. The book is well written all around. The organization of the book reflects the stages of research. Some terms are defined in their appropriate chapters, but not all. The text does a good job covering academic research. This helps readers to keep track with the overall content. However, this is effectively addressed by separated easy to access links; This provide more in detail definitions and exercises from a particular section. I was surprised the authors did not employ language to frame the skill development in the language of 'employability' and life-skills, which might hook readers who are not planning to engage in academic research in the long-term. The authors have also helpfully embedded hyperlinks to relevant chapters or sections earlier or later in the book.The length of individual subsections is consistent to make reading online easy (balancing scrolling and page turning). For the most part, this book is accurate and unbiased, but one area where I noticed discrepancies is the chapter on citing sources. It even goes further in giving some great information on making an argument and writing out the... The book does a good job of avoiding being culturally insensitive or offensive. It goes in-depth covering the topics of research questions (specifically how to narrow down topics), types of sources, sources and information needs, precision searching, search tools, evaluating sources, ethical... These activities do link out to OSU’s site so it is important to make sure those links continue to stay active. It additionally provides students links to activities, such as one that asks them if a source is primary, secondary, or tertiary (p 34). The author’s inclusion of informative tables with sample responses as well as the blank template for students to use was helpful. Some links direct users to OSU Libraries’ resources, either their catalog or their licensed databases, but not all such links are clearly identified as such. Blue boxes throughout the text contain tips, examples, answers, etc. The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive. As I stated I feel the referencing and copyright information could be in a different place but because you can choose to read this in a different order, it does not really matter. I can see the potential for too many asides for activities to be distracting, but they are generally held to the end of their relevant sections, so it wasn't too overwhelming. As stated on p 6 ("... as though you are conducting a research project while reading them [the sections]...") this made my logical side happy. This is clearly not a text designed as background reading; rather it functions best as "just in time" information for students working through the research process. This book presents an excellent graphic approach to expose its content. The informal tone of the text is engaging and applicable for the intended audience. This book truly has to be read online to ensure benefit from all of the additional activities, links, examples, sources, etc. The book is relevant and timely in regards to the various resources and tech tools it mentions (Google Scholar, EndNote, Ref Works). 6 and Ch. For the most part, this text is well-written, grammatically; however, it does have a few grammatical/typographical errors, possibly more than one might expect from a text of this length, and assuming that the author is most likely a committee rather than an individual, more eyes reviewing the text should catch such errors. I'd even recommend the chapters on copyright and fair use to faculty! The book is very comprehensive and even goes beyond what might be expected in this kind of textbook. Chapters eleven and twelve on copyright and fair use, respectively, are likely to be used only by advanced undergraduates, faculty, and professional librarians, but they do serve as a handy reference nonetheless. Ideas and concepts are in accordance with the Association of College and Research Libraries’ “Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education,” with the exception of several small sections that could easily be clarified or adapted. But these instances are rare. The author uses a clear and easy way to understand the language and terminology that makes part of a research process. read more. Many of the concepts, processes, and principles that are covered in the text have an inherent longevity that will prolong the relevance of this text past its initial publication date. All of the chapters of this textbook contain authoritative and accurate information, in line with national information literacy standards and sound pedagogical methods for composition and critical thinking. From an introduction to the ethics of source use to crafting basic Boolean search strings, all facets of entering scholarly discourse are addressed in brief chapters that feel modern and accessible. Most of the links, which are plentiful and well placed, are either broken or link to resources at OSU's library, which I could not access. I did not see any cultural insensitive examples or information provided. This book is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. is not merely an exercise in subjective opinion-making, but rather an exploration of reasoned argumentation, only some of which may be empirical or based on research studies. Students in upper-level classes would find the chapters on Fair Use and Copyright more significant in their academic studies. Several of the chapters use up-to-date wording that may need to be updated more frequently, but the excellent modularity of the text allows for accommodation. They also spend a page and a half giving examples of “Regular Question” vs. “Research Question.” (p 13-14) This ensures that students will understand the difference. I often got the message, "error: unknown export format." I found that the organizational structure of the text very closely mirrored the structure I use myself in teaching research writing. Having read the online version on both a PC and a tablet I found the interface both easy to use and accessible. It’s difficult to find news from any news source, mainstream or not, right, left or center, that doesn’t have some bias or opinions in its reporting. Clearly organised, the course explains the writing process from start to finish. I teach a 300-level English class on performing research and writing research papers. There were a few units that may be superfluous, but I did appreciate that the author seemed to err on the side of inclusivity, leaving it to other adoptees how much content they might use and repurpose. This textbook is not culturally insensitive or offensive. The book is a polished, professional and appropriate tool to help students improve their information literacy. It does appear that they have made an effort to either link to open sources they control, or which are unlike to change significantly (ie: government websites). This book is consistent in it's framework which leads the student to each step logically avoiding confusion or frustration. Links to previous discussed topics presents a quick way to review previous content without loosing the paste. However, there are some exceptions. In Such a situation where the research will be published or circulated, and r ead by others in the It clearly defines different types of sources that can be used, and the difference between primary and secondary sources. 3 includes a source plan (i.e. No tricks that make it difficult to navigate or confusing to read. Add to this that these links didn't work-- I rec'd errors each time I tried a module link. What makes this text easy to adapt is the layout from beginning to end. The downloadable templates are a great resource for students. However, the infrequent errors don't detract from the book or its overall usefulness, though it might be a good idea for someone to go through the text and try to clear some of these up. Like the title suggests, it truly is a full guide to academic research, from developing a topic, finding sources, and using them appropriately. The activities, while appropriate for their contexts, are mixed in their effectiveness; some provide good feedback with clarification, but most offer little more than a smiley face for a correct answer or an “x” for a wrong answer with no other feedback. I especially appreciated that the authors didn't use images that showed people or figures that could both date the book and also make students feel talked down to - I hate images like this and refuse to use textbooks that incorporate them, so kudos! A proper choice of journal can make a larger impact of your research. The book is well-organized and follows a logical structure. 6. The book downloads easily onto a laptop or e-reader. This dynamic becomes the most efficient way to understand what it takes to start a professional research. The text is current and will likely be so for some time. An instructor, then, would have to be direct in assigning reading materials relevant to a student's immediate research goal. The flow of the text was perfect, following the research process from beginning to end. Page numbers are given though, so that's not really a big deal. Ideas build one upon another and academic vocabulary is repeated throughout. Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research serves as an excellent guide for teaching the research process. Each chapter contains extra activities students can work on independently to help with understanding and application of the material covered. It is a very clear text and this could be added with just a few pages of information that might be beneficial to students. With the exception of the first chapter on writing research questions, the rest of the book is focused on sources, which is relevant for any type of academic writing not just research papers. (p 9) Very thorough. Terms and organizational framework are consistent throughout the text. The writing in each chapter is clear and crisp, with important concepts amplified by colorful visualizations. Stating that the Washington Post is "popular" eludes that it is not reliable or valid. I enjoyed the hyperlinked Activities, however, they did not all work for me. I also question the relevance of a chapter on creating an academic argument, which if it is to be included at all, would seem to make much more sense earlier in the book, when students are learning the basics of research and how to apply it to their writing. While the topics and subtopics support each other, each subtopic could be assigned individually and would maintain usefulness. There were no culturally insensitive issues or offensive language in this text that I could find. Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research serves as an excellent guide for teaching the research process. Since the book is clearly broken down into steps they all seemed to be well placed in order to present a cohesive structure that guides the process of research. The way in which the material is presented is very suitable for students who have not previously been involved in academic research as it starts at the very beginning and assumes no prior knowledge. If something had, if there had been a mistake, I would still use the text; if there had been several, I would have considered abandoning it for class. Material was broken into easy to grasp ways that didn't seem too lengthy. The same is true for searching for sources, and I think the sections on search engines and evaluation of sources are going to be quite useful. The book has images, charts, and videos that are useful. Academic research and professional writing are powerful vehicles for communicating your thoughts and ideas not only in your field of study but also in the global workplace. Reviewed by Audrey Besch, Temporary Faculty , East Tennessee State University on 10/31/19, This text is very comprehensive! This works well for readers that needs examples. One concern is the activities which are linked to Ohio State University may not provide access to all, resulting in limited access of information and frustration for the reader. While the information on copyright, fair use, and why and ways to cite sources is fine, I won't be using these for my English classes as I find them not as helpful or relevant. By breaking down each chapter into a variety of content areas, readers will be able to focus and review areas of concern. Clarity is one of the book's strengths. It is lacking an index or glossary - although many concepts are defined in the various chapters. However, to their credit, the authors note that writing an academic research paper is not always a linear process. read more. Not all the video materials embedded are captioned making them inaccessible to some categories of disabled users. For example, it explains to students how to differentiate between good and bad sources. The book is modular. It is well distributed in chapters that are all connected to each other in one or other way. Readers will find the textbook free of simple typos and errors. I think this book is an excellent resource for high school students, and maybe college freshman who need help in choosing and using sources for an academic paper. Within this context, the searching tools may keep changing but the methodologies that are used here could keep working efficiently; at least as a way to approach to a research process for an undergrad student. For example, there is a chart on how to narrow down research topic (p 9), and a chart on the roles of resources in research (p 179). However, some of the terminology is not as clearly defined as it could be. The topics are presented clearly, using an engaging conversational style and frequent tips and activities. A better approach would be to talk about claims that are empirically justified (facts), claims that are justified, but not empirically (value judgments - "x is wrong", prescriptive claims - "women should do x"), and claims that are not adequately justified by any means (opinions). I would also move Ch. Book did not have any navigation issues and all images were appropriately used for content. The most relevant and highest quality sources should not be omitted from the research process because the researcher does not think that his/her audience would be convinced by them. The information here is a brief guide for writing a research proposal. This text is full of links that are either deeper explanations of a particular topic or a set of exercises that are directly related to what the reader is learning. Instead, it pulls up Messenger, which I don't use. No objectionable content found - the authors have chosen inclusive examples wherever possible, while remaining realistic about subjects students might be researching. referencing the OSU code of conduct and requiring students to log in to OSU resources for some activities and examples) and requires effort on the part of instructors at other institutions to make the necessary changes making the content applicable at their institution. It is long though, and I would have loved to be able to jump to sections through anchor bookmarks in the content page - that would be a nice touch. One main complain that I have was regarding the additional information provided to help the reader in writing a paper. Cheryl Lowry, training and education specialist, Ohio State University Libraries. Reviewed by Justin Megahan, Librarian / Associate Professor, Fontbonne University on 6/19/18, The text does a good job covering academic research. The video content is a refreshing change to just text and the images used are overall relevant. The content is accurate. A few problems linking to sum supplemental materials but overall I was impressed by the quality of the graphics as well as the links to quizzes and videos that were provided. The text is divided in a way to teach across a course. However, many of the links no longer work so these should be checked and alternatives put in on a regular basis. It is a very readable text, written at a level that makes it easily accessible to undergraduate students. Hence its readership varies. Each chapter is organized similarly to the others and is written in the same easy-to-follow, technical-free language. Along with choosing and using sources, the authors include a section on making an argument. The chapter on plagiarism is really excellent, and the chapter on searching for sources is utterly brilliant.”, – Chris Manion, PhDCoordinator of Writing Across the Curriculum at Ohio State University, “… an excellent resource for students, with engaging content, graphics, and examples—very compelling. The hyperlinks and the interactive elements of the book will be extremely appealing to students as well as being substantive. 1 has a great overview of regular versus research questions and the difference between qualitative and quantitative research. It... I appreciate the use of student scenarios as a way to step-by-step show the thinking process of choosing research questions. However, these chapters are well-judged for the intended audience; succinct and comprehensible, where so many guides are too woolly or arcane to be useful to a general readership. Reviewed by Lori Meier, Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University on 11/8/18, This text is exceedingly comprehensive. This is student friendly and allows any reader to quickly follow along and understand what is being stated, especially regarding the sourcing elements. The book is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. 3... As mentioned above, the chapters on copyright and fair use which occur near the end of the book feel like a logical interruption to the book's flow, and they might well fit more comfortably as appendices for occasional reference by advanced undergraduates, faculty, and librarians. I only spotted two minor errors - site instead of cite and White's definition (page 186) without an apostrophe. Additionally, the MCQs are not always clear as if the reader gets an answer wrong it is not always apparent which is the correct one. Instead it provided suggestions of how and when any individual research method may be relevant. The book is divided into 13 chapters, each of which addresses particular aspects of research writing and can be employed on its own, or in conjunction with other related chapters. This book includes all relevant information to help students choose appropriate sources for an academic research paper. Instructors who choose this book for a one- or two-credit information literacy course will have much more material at their hands than they can reasonably cover in a semester. The book is organized in a logical manner but spends only a brief amount of time about qualitative and quantitative research as peer-reviewed sources and only gives basic definitions for those two terms. Using the navigation you can work your way through the book in any order you feel is appropriate. Some of the chapters are a bit self-referential which may generate a minor degree of confusion if used out of the holistic context. The order of topics in the text follow the research assignment process, from point of assignment decoding through to writing and source citation. To the author's credit, they did not that one should not cite Wikipedia or use information from Wikipedia in an academic paper. It is concise and clear which will be appreciated by the student as they conduct research. The electronic version has the really nice feature of having the index accessible at any point of the reading process. Instructors will likely find that individual sections, rather than the whole work, are most useful in planning lessons and constructing student assignments in research based and writing intensive courses at the undergraduate level. This book is consistent in terms of its terminology and framework. I plan to assign particular chapters of this text that are most relevant to my course's goals. I have skipped several chapters of the text and it has not caused any disruption with students. 8 discusses ways to cite sources. This textbook is consistent in terms of terminology and framework. read more. And as mentioned in another review section, module links to other modules didn't work either. The content is relevant for undergraduate students and their instructors. The book is logical, gives an overview of the process and provides excellent examples and extra activities to enhance learning. The content is accurate and unbiased. Appropriate book for researchers of all levels. What has changed is how to access and find the sources to choose and use. The book is straight forward and uses contemporary language of the information and academic landscapes. Not all of the links to activities are self-describing (there are no plain URLs, but many of the activity links contain the same 'Open Activity in Web Browser' text, which would be confusing if a user was navigating with a screen reader. Very clearly written; jargon is appropriately explained. This book was written in 2016 and may need some minor updates. I would also update the copyright/plagiarism section to include our college's student handbook blurbs, etc. Instructors in all disciplines should consider this book as an additional textbook for their classes requiring research for assignments, class projects and/or papers. This is a text does an excellent job of explaining the research process in a logical manner. There are a few grammatical (spelling) errors in several of the exercises, however, they do not interfere or confuse the reader. This was very confusing. 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