Learning Exercise
Searching for Health Information
This exercise helps learners develop a systematic, strategic research plan. The focus is health information, but the process applies to several subject domains.
- Material:
- Smart Searching
- Date last modified:
- April 27, 2016
- Created by:
- Lesley Farmer
- License:
-
This online tutorial consists of 4 modules that teaches one how to conduct a test search strategy; the context is health... see more
Exercise
When conducting an in-depth research project, one should develop a systematic and searching strategy. Using this SmartSearching tutorial, develop a bibliography of 25 relevant information sources for a defined research topic.
1. Choose a research topic. Jot down possible research questions, information that you want to know, and your initial plan of action for finding the information.
2. Do the Smart Searching model. Jot down notes as appropriate, and take the quiz fro each module. Use your research topic as a "lens" for gaining information from the tutorial.
3. With the module as a reference guide, develop a list of 25 relevant information source for your research project. Write up your process according to the tutorial steps: 1. Subject experts, 2. Sample set, 3. Term identification, 4. Testing. For each source selected, note the basis for the selection.
4. Summarize your process, and compare it with your initial thoughts. State the implications of your process and results.
Technical Notes
Internet connectivity
Requirements
List of 25 relevant information resources for a chosen research topic project, noting the basis for each chosen resource
Research process essay that includes: initial ideas and strategies, 4-step process narrative, and synthesis/implications of searching process
Topics
ICT literacy, information literacy, researcg skills, information seeking skills
Type of Task
Learning Objectives
Develop a research search strategy
Evaluate and select relevant information resources on a specified research topic
Explain a search process
Assessment
25 resources list criteria: relevance of each resource, quality of justification for selecting each resource
Process essay criteria: alignment with Smart Searching steps; clarity, feasibiity and thoroughness of information for each step; clarity, feasibiity and thoroughness of synthesis and self-reflection