Information exploration: becoming a savvy scholar

This page includes a schedule of class sessions.

Lectures: 1 session / week, 1 hour / session

After completing this course, students will:

Students will complete 6 assignments throughout the semester, accompanied by research logs (see Course Schedule for assignment dates). Assignments will be explained in detail during class. Students will also review a series of online tutorial modules that relate to class lectures and will give feedback on them. No tests or final exam.

Freshmen – Pass/No Record (Institute requirement for Pass: Performance at C level or better.)

Attendance and participation at each of the 13 class meetings is expected. If for some reason you can not attend a class, or if you must leave early, please notify the Instructor in advance.

This course is part of a project developed by staff of the MIT Libraries and Professor Donald Sadoway and funded by MIT's d'Arbeloff Fund for Excellence in Education. The project, titled "Finding and Evaluating Information," is designed to introduce first year students to the scientific research process and provide them with the skill necessary to find, evaluate and use information successfully throughout their educational careers. The project consists of this course, 3.093, and the set of online tutorial modules that students will review and evaluate.

Introduction

Goals of the Class

What to Expect

Overview of Assignments, Research Logs, Online Modules

Self Assessment

Scientific publication Cycle, and What it Means to you as a Student

Primary vs. Secondary Sources (e.g. Books and Barton)

Evaluation of Information Sources

Assignment 1: Literature Review 1 + Research Log due

Tutorial Module Review 1 due

Specific Primary Sources (e.g. Research Articles)

How this Fits into Your Scholarly Careers

Peer Review

Plagiarism in Research

Secondary Sources: Indexing and Abstracting Sources (Needed to Find Primary Sources)

Demonstration of Vera, Specific Databases (Getting Started and Using and Creating Citations)

Assignment 3: Literature Review 1 + Research Logs due

Tutorial Module Review 2 due

Assignment 4: Research Log due

Tutorial Module Review 2A due

Database Searching - Tips and Tricks

Searching for Review Articles Importing Citations into Software like RefWorks

Assignment 5: Research Log due

Tutorial Module Review 3 due

Assignment 6: Research Log due

Tutorial Module Review 3A due

Special Resources (e.g. Patents) and Grey Literature (e.g. Technical Reports, Conference Proceedings)

The Free Web and Web Searching

Assignment 9: Research Log due

Tutorial Module Review 4A due

Wrap up

Feedback, Class Discussion on What was Learned, How to Improve for the Future

Self Assessment

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