AW Lesson 2: Sources

9/24/2015

Hi everyone,

In today’s class, we learned about different types of sources and how to choose your sources for your research paper.

Types of Sources:
First of all, we talked about the different sources that you can use in your research essay. These can include reference books, periodicals (journals, newspapers, magazines), video/audio recordings, government publications, interviews, and many others.

How to Choose Sources:
When you choose a source, there are six points you should consider: (a) authority; (b) audience; (c) currency; (d) purpose; and (e) quality/accuracy.

Recording Source Information:
When you find some useful sources for your research paper, you should write down the information about the source. In this way, you will have easy access to it when you make your works cited page and use in-text citation. When you record source information, you should include the following for print sources: (a) author / organization; (b) title; (c) edition; (d) publisher; (e) place of publication; (f) year of publication; and (g) page numbers.

For an electronic source, you need to record this information: (a) author / organization, (b) title of website; (c) title of article on a website; and (d) publication date.

Library and Database Activities:
We also reviewed the guidelines for your Pair Library and Database Activity. This is very important because it help you become familiar with the resources in the Aogaku library.

For the library activity, you will have to go to the Aogaku library to complete it. You will also need to learn how to use the databases in the library (or from your own computer). The activities are include at the end of the blog post, as well as instructions for using the Aogaku databases.

Lesson Materials:
I've uploaded today's slide presentation and handouts in the Academic Writing Lesson Materials section.

Homework:

Pair Library & Database Activity (due October 1 in class; 10% of your final grade)
Find seven sources for your research paper; use the "Research Paper Sources" worksheet.
Blog Comment #2

Blog Question #2:

Tell me about your experience completing the library and database activities (e.g. When did you do them? Did you need help? Were the activities difficult? Were they useful activities? Do you think you can find sources for your research paper now?)

Write 12-15 sentences.
Use capitalization, punctuation & spelling correctly.
Submit by Wed., Sept. 30 by 6:00pm.

23 Comments

AW-Natsumi

9/25/2015 03:13:50 am

Hello, Nicole.

Q1.
Today I did library and database work with Miho and Mayu. At first we thought database work was easy to do; all we had to do was searching on the Internet. But it was completely different from what we expected. For me, it was surprising that there were some kind of databases. It was difficult for me to handle the database this time though, I guess next time I will be able to search more smoothly. About the library work, we could find newspapers and magazines easily. I did not notice there were many kind of magazines in library, both Japanese and English. Some of them looked very interesting. And I touched micropedia and macropedia for the first time. I felt I needed to make use of them for my learning.
Thanks to this homework I could get skills to use library. But I have just moved one step forward; I want to visit library frequently after this.

AW-Mayu

9/27/2015 04:08:57 am

I did homework activities with Natsumi and Miho. In library work, I felt it difficult to find necessary information like international news or American business and finance from many sources. The numbers of magazines and newspapers were lot, so I had to open and read many of them. But at last, we could find the information we wanted. Through this activity, I think I could get skill of searching necessary information quickly from many sources. So I thought this activity was useful. Also, in this activity I used micropedia and macropedia. It was not until that time that I saw and read them. I was surprised at the amount of information they had. I thought they were very useful for research or other activities. I felt database activity was difficult. I had to try several ways to find the articles. But I could learn how to use database, so it was helpful for me.

AW-Shinji

9/27/2015 10:27:31 pm

So far I have gone to the library in Aoyama University several times to get the necessary information for completing the homework. There are so many useful sources related with the immigration problems in UK, which have been frequently reported on TV or several news websites these days. Also, I started to use the online database site "JSTOR" to seek the proper materials. It is quite easy to find the correct and reliable referrence on my topic. The most surprising thing to me for the search engine was its amazingly high functionality. If you do not know much about books which you are looking for, it enables you to find the exact one from a few keywords or a little information belonging to the data. If it were not for this great system, we would have to spend a lot of time collecting the information. I thought that learning how to use such a beneficial sites would definitely be profitable in the future.

AW-Saeko

9/28/2015 07:08:45 am

Hello,Nicole.

Q1
Today, I did my homework with my pair,Yoko in the library. I often use college library, so I had thought that it was easy assignment for me and just search something on the internet. However, it wasn't easy what I expected. I had thought that pages would hit easily and I could find sources easily. First of all, there are many kind of datebase, so I didn't understand which datebase is appropriate for my search. Secondly, I needed to search not only showed pages but only other source referred to, so I had to click next link, next link. It was hard work. In newspaper and magazine search, I found many newspapers from the world. Especially, I were surprised there is a newespaper from Russia. I found that, but I couldn't understand Russian.
From this activities, I thought the library in college is wonderful! I could learn another way to get information. I think there are another system in the library which I had not known yet , so I want to know and try them without being lazy. it was good experience for my later learning.

Thanks,
Saeko

AW-Natsuki

9/28/2015 10:00:43 pm

Hello, Nicole.

I did those activities with Nagisa on Sunday. Before I used the datebase, I have known nothing about it, even its existence. So, at first, we used OPAC but, of course, couldn't find anything. Then we noticed that we need help so I asked a staff. This time is the first time I know the datebase and, through OPAC, we can only search books in Aoyama Gakuin University's Library. The staff's explanation was easy to understand and helpful for me. Afterward, we could find all information for our homework. 4th item, Africa and America one, was hard a little bit because we knew only journal, year, volume and page number and the area of Africa and America is so large. Another parts are not so hard. However, ashamedly, I tried finding parts of "micropedia" and "macropedia" in dictionaties and encyclopedias. I looked up almost all encyclopedias but I colud not find them because they are on the surface of encyclopedia Britannica!! Nagisa found them and told me. There were some happenings but it was useful time for me. I try to use it when I write my research paper. I hope there are good source for my topic on the datebase.

Thanks.

AW-Nagisa

9/28/2015 11:55:29 pm

Hello, Nicole.

Q1
I did the activity with Natsuki on Sunday afternoon. I am 2nd grade student at Aoyama Gakuin University now, but I didn't know well about how to use a database in the library because I didn't have an experience to use it at all. So I needed some help to do this homework. In detail, I didn't know how to use a database, so I asked a staff in the library. Also, a teacher gave us some hints to find a journal on a database, but we couldn't use how to write down a hint on a search screen, so I asked him then, too. (In detail, I couldn't find the 4th specific information by myself. When I asked the staff, it was revealed that I made a mistake when I chose a place to input information on a search screen.) It was a first time to use a database, so it was a little difficult for me, but it was a good experience! I will use a library like this, and correct some kind of information effective for my report from now on. Also, I am confident that I can find a good resource for my essay.

Thanks,
Nagisa

AW-Ruka

9/29/2015 09:03:40 am

I did that activity with Misa on Friday.
I have used the database before.
So I didn't feel difficult about the task using data base.
To find out the news papers was not so difficult, too.
So we didn't need help for that.
But we couldn't find about the certain numbers for the third question.
So we wrote the shelf numbers.
I'm not sure it is correct.
I thoght the activities were useful for finding own references.
I never experienced this way of searching. So I thought that finding my own reference this way was really good.
I think that I could find my sources for my research since i was able to understand a good way of searching these things.

AW-Kanako

9/29/2015 05:15:34 pm

I go to the library only when I have homework that needs specific materials or sources,so it was my first step to magazines and newspapers area. I think it is stereotype to say but I do. There were greater deal of sources than I had expected. Many incidents that might change the world are happening everyday, and I thought that we should know about that through reading.
Actually I used database service for the first time. To my shame I also haven't read professor's journals. They were such a brilliant sources. I would try to make use of them for my writing assignment.

9/29/2015 05:30:05 pm

I'm sorry for posting twice but I wanted to add some comments.
This library and database activities took time and were difficult for me, because journals I searched for were not shown on the top. Therefore I learned how important to make clear the object we look for.

AW-Nanami

9/29/2015 06:26:07 pm

Kana and I did our work on Monday. It was a bit challenging to find the Encyclopedia Britanica, but we found it. We didn't know the difference between micropedia and macropedia before we do this work. We were astonished by the loads of facts they had. It was really interesting to seek many newspaper and magazine that I might have never seen if I didn't do this work. I would never know that there were newspaper written in Russian or German. I thought they have only Japanese and English. It wasn't hard for me to search in the database for the articles because I have used it before. I still have a hard time looking up an article, so it's a great opportunity to learn to use several different databases. I'm also having a hard time searching for my research paper sources, so I would like to use the library for it insteaded of using internet. I hope I'll get some good sources for me.

AW-Yoko

9/29/2015 06:31:11 pm

Hello, Nicole.

Hello, Nicole.

On Monday, I went to the Aogaku library adid the library and database activities with Saeko. Before we started them, we asked a librarian about how to use the database and find overseas literatures. I often go to the Aogaku library and use computers to look for books or sources, but I had never used the databases. It was difficult to understand the way to find destination materials from some information, especially when I knew neither titles nor authors of the articles. So it took more than one hour to complete Academic Writing Database Treasure Hunt. However, it helped me learn how to find materials effectively using some keywords related to my topic of research paper. Then I did Finding Library Resources. When I read English newspapers, I usually choose only Japan Times on the website. So it was useful to learn about other English newspapers and their features. Moreover, I often use the Encyclopedia Britannica, but I didn’t know there were macropedia and micropedia. I found their differences very interesting and after that, I would like to use them as the information I really need. The activities were more difficult than I expected, however, I could learn how to make good use of materials in the Aogaku library. In addition, I also could find some sources for my research paper from the databases through the activities.

AW-Rika

9/29/2015 06:41:33 pm

Hello Nicole

I completed the pair activity at the library on Thursday with Asa. I sometimes go to the library to borrow English books but was always let down by how little varieties they have, so I was surprised to find out that the Aoyama library had so many different types of newspapers in English. With the database homework, I struggled a lot because it was very new to me and had to try over and over again. But now that I know how to look up sources from home, writing essays or anything that requires sources, will definitely be easier.
Thanks

AW-Kana

9/29/2015 06:41:38 pm

Hello, Nicole
I did library and database activity with Nanami on Monday. At first, I thought this assigment is not so hard because all we had to do was to search. As we started, we found out that this is not so easy. We had to look through many newspapers and magazines. Also, we had to work on the computer for a long time to complete the worksheet. Database activity was difficult for me, because it was my first time to use it. We first tried to ask librarian, but we wanted to do it by ourselves so we helped each other. We had to look through many database to complete whole worksheet. Micropedia and Macropedia activity looked hard at first because we didn't know the word. So, we had to go to the internet to find out what they are. After that, we didn't need a lot of time to answer questions. I thought this activity was very useful because I can now find what I want to know easily without much help. Through this activity, I learned a lot of skills. Also, I recognized that library is much more useful than I expected. It was such a great experience for me.

Thanks,
Kana

AW-Ayaka

9/29/2015 10:41:53 pm

Hello Nicole,

I did library activity with my pair, Kotoe on Monday. Actually, I don't use library much. Also I hadn't known about database well, and never used it before. I had thought that the activity would finish in 30 minutes or so, however, it took 90 minutes to complete. Especially, we struggled with the database activity. Even I thought I typed the key words correctly, I couldn't find the answers, and had to look for another way. Although we tried together, we couldn't find an answer of a question.
Moreover, it was difficult for us to find the difference between the macropedia and the micropedia. We hadn't heard that words before. I don't know whether our answer is correct or not.
I think they were useful activities for me, because I hadn't known about almost all of them. I want to go to library, and use books, newspaper and database more as my sources.

AW-Taiki

9/29/2015 10:52:57 pm

Hello, Ms.Nicole.
I finished the pair activity with Kazuma and the library work for myself. As for the library work, I had thought that it would have be not so easy to find sources I was required just after the last class ended. And then, as I expected, I found it was very difficult to look for them. There were some causes which made me puzzled. First of all, there were a huge number of sources in the library. Due to it, I had difficulty in finding the books I needed. Secondly, it took me so long time. I have been busy in working part-time this week, so I had not enough time to search 7 books. In terms of the pair work, although I have experienced a similar work last year, I forgot how to use the database, therefore I asked a librarian the way to search sources. Thanks to him, I remembered it. After that, I found it not so difficult to search the information I had to find. I think it is very useful. It will continue to make me easy to find many sources I need.

AW-Asa

9/29/2015 11:12:41 pm

Q1.
I did the library bctuvities on Thursday last week. We were able to complete it on our own without asking anyone. It was not that difficult for us, but it helped and gave us ideas of how to find and use sources when we do our writings. So, I gusess we have completed the activities successfully. Since we have learned how to use sources, now, I think I will be able to find some helpful sources for my research paper. However, there is one thing that I am concerned about. The topic I chose for my research paper is the process of first language acquisition. Thus, I am a little bit worried if I would be able to find the source that is not too difficult for me to understand. It might be a little challenging for me, but I will do my best.

AW-Kazuma

9/29/2015 11:33:58 pm

I did my library activity today. To be honest, I am not a big fan of aogaku library, I have experienced neither database research nor book renting. However, it felt really nice in the library. It was much quieter than I expected, which made me easier to concentrate on searching.
There were some problems we had while I’ve done this acitivity with Taiki. First of all, it was too quiet to do a team-work. Then we got baffled, by finding too much of infortmations that we can’t find the correct one. Lastly, the aogaku library is way too far from the core of the campus, and it’s not easy to go.

9/29/2015 11:35:56 pm

There were spelling mistakes as I'm not really familiar with the keyboard of the school computer..

There were some problems we had while I’ve done this *activity with Taiki. First of all, it was too quiet to do a team-work. Then we got baffled, by finding too much of *informations that we can’t find the correct one. Lastly, the aogaku library is way too far from the core of the campus, and it’s not easy to go.

AW-Akimitsu

9/29/2015 11:46:37 pm

Hi, nicole.

I worked on Library and database activity with Kazuna. In fact, I hardly ever use Aoyamagakuin library, so I didn't know about using facilities in library. In the beginning, I had difficulty search for some books, newspaper and magazine, but I cleared first task in the magazine section, I could find some materials smoothly. In this work, we finished shorter time than I thought at first, because I got used to the library equipment and facility, and moreover we shared our work. After this work, I think I should go to the library more, and I need to understand usage how to use other library facilities.

AWーKazuna

9/30/2015 12:02:48 am

Hi,Nicole.

I did database activity with my partner today. I usually use library and also use database there. Therefore, I am used to use database. And I didn't need any help. Honestly, This activity was very difficult for me. There are a lot of sources of one or two keywords, so I had hard time. However, this activity was very useful thing for me. The reason why I think so is that I knew many tools like JSTOR from this activity. This is the best harvest I think. And also I searched my research paper's sources from database. Before I know this tool, I always took a lot of time. This homework gave me many precious things.

AW-Misa

9/30/2015 12:16:58 am

Last Friday, Ruka and I went to the library. First,I it was difficult for me to understand what the qunstion meant. Especially, Q3 was difficult. However, by chance, I found the number and the kinds of books. Therefore, we could did. Datebase activity was easier for me than library activity. This is because I had used it last year. In the Reading class, I did two presentation and had to used it. Now, I haven't find out all 7 sourses. It's difficult to find out the article which have the complete information I want. It's also difficult to know it is necessary or not for my research paper. I think datebase will help me to do this.

AW-Kotoe

9/30/2015 01:27:34 am

Hello, Nicole.

After the 5th period on Monday, I worked out together with Ayaka to finish the homework in the library . The work was more troublesome than I thought and it took time for it. Without Ayaka, I couldn't finish it early. We thought that it was good decision to work out together bright and early. The most difficult thing was the datable activity. Although it was hard to complete the paper perfectly, I could learn how to find specific articles or books. So, this activity will defiantly help me out when I find sources for my survey.
Also, I found micoroedia and macropedia are useful when I want to know something more deeply. We haven't known the existence. As it is useful , I will use it in the process of some research. To sum up, although the working was hard for me, it was so useful and good experience. I will utilize the library more form now on.

AW_Nami

9/30/2015 06:38:19 pm

I did the library activities with Karen after the class last week. First I thought it would be easy to find the information I need for the activity. However it turned out to be very hard to find them. The library system was confusing than I expected. Sunset I usually don't go to the library, I didn't know how to find where the books I need is. When I was a child the books I wanted were always placed in alphabetical order. In university, there are too many variety books, and it's so hard to find where they are. I guess it will take some time to get used to it. The activity was a good chance as the first step. I hope I could understand the library system during this writing class.

AW Lesson 2: Sources

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