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INFO 200 – Information Communities

Research Paper

Here you will find the requirements and guidelines for the assignment followed by an assignment helper to get you started!

View a video about the assignment:

Description:

The research paper is a critical extended essay synthesizing and evaluating what you have learned about your chosen information community throughout the semester. (Course Learning Outcomes: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8)

This paper should:

  • Present an analysis of current literature and critically discuss the issues and debates surrounding the information needs of your information community.
  • Include a reference list of at least 20 original sources, the majority of which (at least 12-14) should be peer reviewed. A majority of these sources should be ones that were not assigned throughout the semester. Your reference list should reflect your independent research into your information community and their behaviors.
  • Be a minimum of 3,000 words and no more than 3,500 words. This does not include the title page, abstract, and reference list.
  • Use APA 7 style formatting, 12-point font size, Times New Roman font style, 1 inch margins, and double spaced spacing.

Requirements:

The paper should include the following components in this order:

Title page: Provide the paper’s title, your name, course number, course name, and date. Your title page should be formatted based off of APA 7 standards.

Abstract: In one paragraph, briefly summarize your paper’s content. The abstract should be between 150 and 250 words in length and placed on page 2.

Introduction: Identify the information community being studied and why an examination of this group is significant. This opening section should conclude with an overview of what topics related to the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of the community the paper will address. Start your introduction on page 3.

Literature Review: Using what you learned from the literature review matrix assignment as a starting point, the literature review section (2-3 pages) should provide a synthesis and critical analysis of the published research about the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of the information community you are researching. Describe how these previous works have contributed to our knowledge of the information community. Use course materials, such as relevant information behavior theories, to frame the review and use sub-headings to help guide the reader through the themes being discussed. Your discussion should address the following points:

  • Who has written on the topic?
  • What subtopics or themes have been covered?
  • What, if any, schools of thought have developed?
  • Are there any controversies within the literature?
  • What approaches or methodologies have been used?
  • What weaknesses, biases, or gaps exist in the current research?

Methodology: Explain how your paper’s data was located and/or generated. Typically, this section will discuss the information sources used to gather background readings to learn about their information practices. You will also want to identify the research-based and community-based sources that you used. 

Note: This section does not require an analysis of the research methods used in the material you sourced – such discussion belongs in your Literature Review or Discussion sections of your paper.

Discussion: Provide a critical analysis of your research findings and assess how well your information community’s needs are being met based upon the information seeking behaviors identified. Be sure to include evidence to substantiate your generalizations. This evidence should consist of quotes, statistics, and examples drawn from your academic readings and via community-based resources. You will want to utilize course resources and readings to support your ideas and use sub-headings to help guide the reader through the major topics and themes being discussed. Your discussion might include the following:

  • Details on what you learned about how your community employs technology to use, create and share information
  • What educational programming and services are available to your community from libraries or information centers
  • Insights as to how your community or similar communities are served in other parts of the globe.
  • Suggestions for what new resources and services might be developed in the future

Conclusion: Summarize what you have learned about your information community’s information seeking behaviors and information needs. Identify the implications for libraries and information centers that may serve your information community and consider what might the future hold in relation to your information community, their information seeking behaviors and information needs, and how these needs are or are not being met by the information centers and/or libraries that serve your chosen community.

References: Your reference list should include at least 20 items, the majority of which should be peer reviewed. APA 7 formatting is required.

Evaluation and Submission:

The paper will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Thoroughness of independent background research (a well-developed literature review)
  • Organization and clarity of writing (clearly and logically presented ideas)
  • Originality, depth of analysis and critical reflection
  • Professional presentation (citations, references, proofreading, reference list, etc)

Submission:

  • Worth 30 points, which is 30% of your total grade. 
  • Must be a minimum of 3,000 words and no more than 3,500 words, not including the title page, abstract, and reference list. 
  • Submit your Research Paper to Canvas (not your blog) using the naming convention: “LastName_NameofAssignment” as a PDF or Word document.
  • All assignments are due on Sundays unless otherwise noted and must be turned in by 11:59 p.m. PT.    
  • If life circumstances require students to request an extension, please do so several days before the assignment is due or as soon as possible. 

Note: These sample papers are from previous semesters and have a shorter literature review section and use APA 6. For Fall 2019 and beyond, the literature review should be 2-3 pages and the entire research paper should follow APA 7.

Assignment Helper – Research Paper

The goal of the Research Paper is to give you experience in writing a graduate-level research paper. This assignment helper is a step-by-step guide to help you succeed! Below you will find information on how to start working on your research paper, how to format it, and the assignment criteria. Below you will find links to relevant resources. If you have any questions about this paper, please do not hesitate to ask. Longer research papers can be incredibly stressful to work on, but remember that all of your work so far this semester can be used in this assignment! There is no self-plagiarism in INFO 200, please reference and use the work you have already completed.

Getting Started:

  • All assignments in INFO 200 help build your understanding and knowledge of the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of the information community you are researching. 
  • Remember, there is no self-plagiarism in INFO 200! Please review, remix, and adapt your previous work for this research paper. This includes your work on previous assignments and blog posts. 
  • Begin using the INFO 200 LibGuide to identify research paper sources. You will need at least 20 items in your reference list – a majority of which should be scholarly/research peer reviewed sources. A majority of your reference list must consist of articles and studies found in your own research. You are also welcome to include pertinent links to course resources. You can use the models, theories, and LIS foundations presented throughout the course in your work, but need to do your own independent research.
  • Set up and use a system for organizing your research articles and reference materials. Consider using a citation manager, such as RefWorks. Make sure to double check all citations, especially those in your reference list.
  • Utilize course material relating to information needs and information-seeking behavior as a resource in your writing.
  • Review sample assignments.

Start to synthesize what you learn in this class into your research paper:

  • As you complete class readings, lectures and assignments, ask yourself how the information you have learned impacts your information community. Make notes of these so you can include these parallels or contrasts in your research paper.
  • What questions about your information community seem to arise as you review research materials? Are there relationships between your research materials and what you’re learning in this class? Are you noticing any common themes? Make notes of those to discuss these relationships in your research paper.
  • Are you discovering anything new or unexpected about the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of the information community you are researching as you do your research? How does what you’re learning in this class relate to what you’re discovering? How does what you’re learning in class change how you view or understand the information needs and information-seeking behaviors of your community?

The Research Paper Format:

Review the assignment description, requirements and rubric carefully. Follow APA style 7th Edition guidelines for each section of your paper.

  • Use the headings shown on the Research Paper Assignment page in the following order to ensure you have all required elements: Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Discussion, Conclusion, and References.
  • The Literature Review section should be based on your Literature Review Matrix assignment. Your information should be synthesized to 2-3 pages and you will want to use relevant information theories from the course to frame your review.
  • From your research, provide an analysis of the information-seeking behavior(s) of your community, and discuss the resources and services information professionals use to meet those needs. Cite research evidence from scholarly and community-based sources, as well as evidence from course materials to support your analysis. Use parenthetical references in APA 7 format for your information sources.
  • Summarize your research findings examining how libraries and other information centers are or are not meeting the information needs of your community. Suggest any new directions for future research and/or new services and resources that can be developed.
  • Additional sub-headings can guide the reader through your writing and findings.

Formatting Your Work:

  • Review your checklist to ensure that you have included all the required assignment components.
  • The text of your research paper, excluding title page, abstract, and references, should be a minimum of 3,000 words and not more than 3,500 words.
  • The assignment should be double spaced with 5-7 space indentations for paragraphs.
  • Use 12 point Times New Roman font.
  • Document margins should be 1 inch.
  • References should be cited using APA 7 style.
  • For Rules for the Body of the Paper for Academic Writing, review  “Academic Writing Conventions and APA Style” in Module 2.

Submitting Your Assignment:

  • Must be a minimum of 3,000 words and no more than a maximum of 3,500 words not including the title page, abstract, and reference list. 
  • Spell and grammar check your document.   
  • Double check your use of APA 7 formatting. 
  • Take a break from your document and come back later to proofread it (manually).  
  • Ask a peer to proofread your document – offer to do the same for them.
  • Submit your Research Paper to Canvas (not your blog) using the naming convention: “LastName_NameofAssignment” as a PDF or Word document. 
  • All assignments are due on Sundays unless otherwise noted and must be turned in by 11:59 p.m. PT.
  • If life circumstances require students to request an extension, please do so several days before the assignment is due or as soon as possible.

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