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Class Objectives

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Objectives

By the end of this class you will have...

  1. Brainstormed a search strategy for an example topic
  2. Practiced searching the library resources
  3. Found one potential source for your assignment proposal

 

Comparative Jurisdiction Review Assignment

Comparative Jurisdiction Review Assignment Summary

Purpose: Students will research and write a paper comparing a specific policy issue in Canada or Calgary with how a similar policy is approached in another jurisdiction. The aim is to draw lessons that can be applied to the "home" jurisdiction, assessing the potential for adaptation or identifying unique challenges.

Components:

Proposal (5%): Due November 5. Students must select a policy field, choose a jurisdiction for comparison, and provide a preliminary list of three sources.

Final Paper (20%): Due December 5. The paper should be around 10 double-spaced pages (excluding references) and must include:

  • An overview of the policy issue in Canada or Calgary.

  • An analysis of how another jurisdiction handles a similar policy issue.

  • Comparisons that highlight lessons or differences relevant to the home jurisdiction.

Focus: Students should narrow their research to a specific aspect of the policy to allow for a focused comparison, developing a clear thesis statement.

Grading Criteria: Clarity, depth of analysis, spelling, grammar, and proper citation (Chicago or APA style).

Additional Guidance: Comparisons should generally be made between the same levels of jurisdiction (e.g., national to national or sub-national to sub-national). If comparing different levels, students should seek prior approval from the instructor.

One Strategy for Approaching this Assignment

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Step 1: Choose a narrow sub-topic based on the suggested topics in the assignment description.

Step 2: Develop a thorough understanding of the sub-topic.

  • Look at the example sources Richard has provided
  • Conduct background searches on the web
  • Read recent news articles on the subject 

Step 3: Identify the key organizations responsible for your policy in Canada (at the Federal or municipal level).

Step 4: Determine the most relevant jurisdictions for comparison, and gather relevant policy documents (i.e. capture).

Step 5: Use the most relevant policy documents to compare policy approaches across jurisdictions. 

  • What are the main issues? This could be from public consultations on an issue, themes highlighted in the news or policy documents, etc.

Ocean Conservation and Fish Stock Management

What It Is: Ocean conservation and fish stock management are policies aimed at sustaining marine ecosystems by preventing overfishing, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring long-term fish stock health.

Why It’s Interesting:

  • Potential Benefits: Supports sustainable fishing industries and protects marine biodiversity.
  • Potential Challenges: Requires balancing economic interests with environmental conservation goals.
  • Global Comparisons: Examining other nations’ approaches can reveal innovative practices for sustainable fisheries management.

Questions to Guide Research

  • What are the main objectives of Canada’s fish stock management policy?
  • How do Canada and other countries use marine protected areas (MPAs) to manage fish stocks, and what impact do these protected zones have on fish population health?
  • How does Canada collaborate with the fishing industry to support conservation, and how do enforcement practices for fish stock management compare to those in countries like Sweden and Norway?

ACTIVITY (5 min)

  1. Get into pairs or triads
  2. Open the "Organizing-Comparative-Jurisdiction-Research" document in Google Docs
  3. Under "Domestic Policy" I want your help to
    • Brainstorm some potential organizations that are likely to have published or commented on the policy issue we are researching.
    • Brainstorm some key issues (i.e. keywords) to search

Other tools for keep track of your research (examples)

LibrarySearch

LibrarySearch is MRU Library's one-stop search interface/catalogue that brings together resources across format, time, and subject.

(Conducting Academic Research With LibrarySearch)


Sample search


Things to remember when using LibrarySearch:

  1. Sign in to save searches, and items, and to request materials.

  2. Use the pin icon to save books and articles to your Favorites for future reference.

  3. Use the filters on the right. You will use Availability, Resource Type, and Date filters most often. Filter settings can be "locked in" so that you don't have to reapply them to every search that you make.

  4. Some items may not be available, however, you can request unavailable items using what is called interlibrary loan.

  5. When viewing an item record, scroll down to the Get it (for hardcopy/physical items) or Access options (for electronic items) section to get access to the item

Policy Analysis and Statistics

Primary Sources

Librarian

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Erik Christiansen

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