Ch. 3 & identifying bias Flashcards
documentation
the practice of referencing or citing previous works within a piece of writing according to an “official” documentation style such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA)
scholarly research
research and writing performed by an academic (e.g., a professor - a person who does research and teaches at a university or college) that is usually based on original research or experimentation
highly respected cuz the writing had to be peer-reviewed by experts in the same field
most are protected behind firewalls and require a connection via a library
also current & reliable materials online that aren’t stored behind firewalls, but u won’t necessarily be able to identify which ones are reliable if you use a basic search engine like Google or Yahoo.
background questions
help you focus on what you really need to know
written in general way, not in a way that could be answered in one or two sentences; allows you to answer more than on question and bring up new ideas
should have 4-6 questions (2 about entity, 2 about dependent, 1 for independent, 1 for connections)
four background question categories
entity
indpendent variable
dependent variable
connections between the entity, independent, and dependent variables
entity
specific types that are easily studied
its structure and function
handling/care/safety/ethics within a controlled environment
independent variable
its structure and function
how it can safely and ethically be manipulated
dependent variable
its structure and function
how changes can best be measured, recorded, and observed
connections between the entity, independent, and dependent variables
learn what is already known about these relationships (i.e., previous research on the topic)
ideas for group projects
- Write first draft
- upload to Google Docs so all members have access
- may decide to distribute diff background questions to each group member so time is used efficiently
starting early
important, cuz long, slow process
important to become very knowledgeable about your topic before writing a hypothesis
reliable scientific resources
Printed materials at libraries are usually reliable cuz they have been through an editing and publishing process. Many now have identical online versions available thru libraries’ paid subscriptions to specific databases
gaining access to library databases
must either be on campus or have login permission; high school library & local public library may subscribe to certain databases that will give access to some scholarly writings
university & college libraries may grant visitors occasional login privileges, even if you’re not a current student
Open Access
OA
growing movement towards this
research institutions are increasingly making scholarly writing available for free
note card method
- Research Question Cards: assign each background question a # and write the # (top left) and question(middle) on a single note card (consider using different-color cards for each question)
- Bibliography Cards: For each resource, need to write bibliography info on single card, assigning letter (top right)
- Note Cards: begin taking notes on note cards
a. upper right, letter of resource
b. top left, number of question
c. lower right, page numbers where info was found (actual books, journals, & PDF files - abbrev. pg.; web page - paragraphs [para.])
pros and cons of note card system
pro: Once the note taking is complete, the cards can be shuffled and reorganized in a way that makes writing the paper easier (keys = keep organized and don’t lose)
con: loose note cards are easily lost. can hole punch and use metal rings to keep together, or recipe boxes with tabs
notebook method
also works for electronically
- Bibliography Information Page: make front pages place to list resources, assigning letters as you go
- Research Question Pages: Write number assigned to each question on top of its own page
- Taking Notes:
a. bibliography letter in 1st column
b. page numbers in 2nd column
pros and cons of notebook system
pro: taking notes on NB paper is what most students are used to doing, & notebook paper is less likely to be lost. also, organized all the notes by research question, so that they can be further organized into paragraphs
con: once the notes are written, u can’t change the order (unless electronic)
plagiarism
using another person’s ideas, information, or expressions without acknowledging that person’s work
take notes in your own words (1. read 2. close resource 3. write from memory)
quotations
use sparingly
e-mailing professionals
yes:
- formal opening “Dear Dr. Smith,”
- How you found that person
- who you are, where you’re from
- mention teacher’s name & email address if possible
- clearly stated request
- could you answer three questions for me?
- could i interview you in a skype conference call?
- contact info
- sincere thanks, acknowledging the person’s expertise & making sure they know you value his/her time
- sign off “Sincerely” and full name
no:
- questions abou the individual you can find online
- causal language “Hey! I found you on the Internet
- IM/text-messaging abbrev’s
- general qeustions “How do you design an experiment on this topic?”
- an attachment of your entire paper, asking for any suggestions
identifying bias
- Always go to the original source - check where conflicting article got info & then get a copy of the original. might have misused the info.
- Find out where it was published - some sources are better than others. Ex: well-known science journal is fine, but personal website or special interest group needs careful checking
- Talk with experts - one of best ways for up-to-date and accurate info is to interview at least 4 who work independently in the field
how to find experts
look for the authors of science articles on the subject; search journal, magazine, or book databases in the library or via the Internet
when u find one, write down name & contact info. email
can send a copy of conflicting article and ask their opinion on it
red flags for bias
- the author doesn’t include an expert’s name, affiliation, and where the research was published
- the article doesn’t talk about specifics, but generalizes. might lead to wrong conclusions.
