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LEAP 3: Panel Discussion

By the end of this class you will be able to

  1. Locate the library research guide for this class
  2. Describe at least two characteristics of a quality source
  3. Evaluate some example resources in pairs or small groups
  4. Search for sources using the MRU LibrarySearch

Fall 2024 Panel Discussion Assignment

  • The LEAP 3 AE Fall 2024 Assignment consists of two main components: a Panel Discussion and a Project Report.
  • In the Panel Discussion, groups of 5-6 students research a chosen topic and engage in an interactive discussion in front of the class, with each student speaking for approximately 7 minutes.
  • The Project Report is a collaborative written component where group members document their research, resources, key terms, main speaking points, and personal reflections.
  • Students are required to incorporate at least two peer-reviewed academic sources in their research, emphasizing the importance of recognizing sources.
  • The Panel Discussion is graded individually based on Content, Delivery, and Group Effectiveness, while the Project Report receives a group mark.

Academic Sources

When writing academically, your are expected to use the best sources available to you.  Academic sources are often harder to understand (from an English language perspective) than non-academic sources.  You need at least three academic sources for the presentation assignment.  Here are some important sources that meet the requirements of the presentation.

  1. Encyclopedias
  2. Books (print and ebooks)
  3. DVDs and Streaming Video
  4. Newspapers
  5. Magazines
  6. Journals

Before you begin to search

  • Four steps to choosing your topic and research question

    • Choose a more general question or topic
    • Do some background research to find out a bit more and see how others have discussed that topic.
    • Develop some more focused questions that you might want to focus on
    • Further define your topic - avoid being too broad (or you will never be able to cover it all) or too narrow (you may not find enough information)
    • Not sure if your topic is too broad or too narrow? You might have to do a bit more searching and reading to find out. 

  • Some ways to narrow a topic:

    • Place (geography, location, setting, etc.)

    • Population (Age, demographic, etc.)

    • Timeframe (year, decade, etc.)

    • Relevant issue or challenge (eg. difficulty finding work, learning disability, etc.)

Evaluating Sources Using RADAR

Image of a radar dish at night against a sky with stars

Photo by Alec Favale on Unsplash

What is RADAR?

The RADAR system helps us check if the information is good.

The RADAR system helps you decide if information is good. RADAR stands for Relevance, Authority, Date, Accuracy, and Reason. Let’s look at each part.

Relevance    Is the information about your topic? Does it help answer your question? Make sure it is useful for what you need.
Authority Who wrote the information? Are they experts? Check if the author or organization is trustworthy.
Date When was the information written? Is it current or old? Sometimes you need the latest info, and other times older information is okay.
Accuracy Is the information correct? Are there mistakes? Does it have sources or evidence to support it?
Reason Why was this information written? Is it to inform, sell, entertain, or persuade you? Knowing the reason can help you understand if it is biased or fair.

Accessibility

Accessibility refers to your ability to understand and summarize the ideas presented in your source.

  • For example, can you tell a classmate what your source is about without reading directly from your source?  Think about a movie you've recently seen and a friend asked you what was it about.  What would you tell them?

 

LibrarySearch Techniques

Less is more: Start with one or two words and then add one additional term at a time

  • education
  • education university

Search phrases: Use "quotation marks" around key ideas made up of multiple words

  • "post-secondary education"
  • very useful when you have a specific phrase containing common words

Search different spellings: Use or  and parentheses () to search similar keywords

  • (football or soccer)
  • (policy or issues)

Use limits: These refine (narrow) your search using different restrictions

  • Date (last 10 years)
  • Peer-reviewed (for articles)

You can combine all the above in your search:

  • homelessness canada policy
  • homelessness canada issues
  • homelessness canada (debate or issues)
  • "coral reefs"  (threats or solutions or issues)

These tips work with LibrarySearch as well as:

 

Why do we cite and reference sources?

  1. Citing helps your reader know that you're not making things up
  2. Citing makes you a more reputable source of information
  3. "Common knowledge" is not always accepted by the scientific community. Confirm common knowledge and cite your source
  4. Paraphrasing and summarizing demonstrates that you understand the material

How do I start referencing?  Use the "cite" option, found in many search tools, to put your source into APA format. 

What if there is no "cite" option?  Use the MRU citation guide (and ask for help at the service desk) https://library.mtroyal.ca/citation/

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Erik Christiansen

Contact:
Email: echristiansen@mtroyal.ca
Phone: 403.440.5168
Office: EL4423C
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