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J. Roth/Study Skills 94 THE
RESEARCH SUMMARY ASSIGNMENT Point
Values for This Assignment
The time has come when all
of us must become our own teachers. With knowledge currently doubling
every four to five years, schools alone cannot provide the education
necessary to meet the demands of a successful job and life. To better prepare ourselves,
this quarter we will learn and practice research skills by creating a research
summary, which consists of a brief outline, the summary itself,
and a list of sources (books, magazines, journals, websites, interviews)
found useful in learning about the topic. Good research summaries need
time to “cook” in the mind in order to actually learn something. Poor
research summaries are begun and finished a night or two before they're due.
Sometimes they receive a passing grade, but the student learns little other
than that he or she hates research assignments. So let’s start early,
learn a little each day about our topic, and give this assignment a chance. Helpful Skills in the
Process: 1) To be able to read
critically and listen critically; in other words, to be able to understand
what we read and hear, and think about it by asking intelligent
questions. Along with this, we should remember to question the truth of
what we read (particularly on the Internet) or hear until we find outside
support (corroboration) for it. 2) To be able to synthesize
information, in other words, to combine information to create new ideas. 3) To be able to organize
and support what we discover. 4) To be able to report
clearly about our discoveries and give proper credit to those who are owed
the credit. The Steps to Follow: 1) Select a subject you have
always wanted to know more about, something of real interest to you. 2) Browse databases (library
catalogs, ProQuest, Opposing
Viewpoints, CQ Researcher, eLibrary,
trustworthy websites) to get a sense for your subject's size and available
sources. 3) Try to narrow your subject by
picking only a piece of it and begin studying sources about
that piece in detail--locate a minimum of four
to six good sources. (Remember--a source can be a magazine
article, a book, a video, a legitimate Internet source, and an
interview.) 4) Submit the name of your
topic (up to 10 points possible for a well-focused idea) by Thursday,
May 12. 5) Continue to locate and study sources that teach
you more about your topic. Give yourself time to think, question,
synthesize. 6) Prepare a brief outline of what you have learned
about your topic to serve as a guide for actually writing the summary.
To create this outline, simply list the two or three most important things
you have learned during your study. Each entry on this list will become
a roman numeral on the outline. 7) Using this outline as a
guide, write a brief summary of your discoveries. 8) Provide an alphabetized
list of your sources following MLA guidelines. 9) At all times during
the process please follow closely the two research summary examples
provided for you. 10) At all times during
the process please be prepared to share
with me your work to that point. Expect me to ask to see it. Your summary is due no later than Friday, June 10. Oral reports Day will be Monday, June 6. This assignment will not be
accepted late for any reason, so start early and work on it regularly. DUE DATES AND POINTS BREAKDOWN Research Summary · Focused Topic Idea—10 points--Due by Thursday, May 12 · Completed Research Summary—-Due no later than Friday, June 10 Research Summary Parts and
Values Outline--15 points Summary—70
points List
of Sources—15 points Proper use of English
will figure into the grade your summary earns. (Additional Discretionary Points may be awarded during
this process.) Research Summary Assignment Check Sheet CHECK SHEET—Please submit this form with your Research Summary ____Outline at the beginning
of the report (the two or three most important things you learned about your
topic presented in outline format). ____ Summary—clearly written
presentation of your discoveries, proofread and edited to show respect for
the English language and your reader. ____ Sources page—An
alphabetized list of the sources you used (minimum of three to five)—sources
page conforms to MLA guidelines (please see the following page for examples). ____Summary closely follows one of the two samples
presented in class. |
Example #1—a generic research
summary
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REPAIR OF THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE EXAMPLE OUTLINE I. Description of
Original lens defect II.
Possible solutions
A. A new telescope
B. Computer enhancement
C. A corrective lens
III. Method of repair
A. Description of the corrective lens
B. Installation of the corrective lens IV. Results SUMMARY
Several years ago, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched from a space
shuttle flight. Astronomers had hoped that with the Hubble Space
Telescope orbiting high above Earth's cloudy atmosphere, several questions
about how the universe works and was formed could be answered.
Unfortunately, after the telescope was in orbit, technicians discovered that
the telescope lens had a flaw that made the pictures it sent to earth
fuzzy. This was a major disappointment to those hoping to peer deeper
into space. Fortunately, in December 1993, astronauts aboard another
space shuttle mission were able to install a lens that corrected the problem.
For several months after first discovering the problem, scientists considered
three possible solutions. One was to build and launch a new
telescope. This would cost millions of dollars and delay any deep space
study for several years. Another solution was to build a super computer
that could clear up the pictures the current Hubble sent to Earth. However,
even a super computer would have to "guess" several parts of an
enhanced picture because of the flaw in the original lens. A third
solution was to build and install a corrective "contact lens" for
the Hubble, much as doctors make for humans with vision problems.
Scientists decided to build and install a corrective lens, with construction
beginning in June of 1992. The lens was designed to bring into focus
the flawed part of the original telescope lens. The plan called for
astronauts on a space shuttle mission to install the corrective lens and make
fine adjustments. If this worked, the original Hubble Space Telescope
would be saved along with millions of dollars and several years of work.
In December 1993, a space shuttle mission was launched with the corrective
lens on board. No one including the most informed mission specialist or
astronaut knew what to expect since an installation and repair of this
magnitude hundreds of miles above earth had never been attempted.
However, after many hours of aggravating effort astronauts finally succeeded
in putting the corrective lens in place.
A few stressful weeks of "tuning" the lens followed.
Scientists now report that the Hubble's vision is perfect. The
corrective lens installed by the astronauts exceeds all expectations in
repairing the flaw. Because of the success of the repair effort, big
questions such as how our universe began and its eventual fate may be
answered. Sources Baker,
Elaine. Black Holes and Hubble. New York: Roundhill
Press, 2008. The
Edison Page. Web. 5 May 2007. "The
Hubble Finally Works.” The Spokesman Review 17 Jan. 2000: B3. Jacobs,
Alice L. and Marilyn Moore. "Correcting the Hubble's Sight." Scientific Adventures Nov. 2004: 68-72. Landis, Carl.
Personal interview. 12 Oct. 2007 Nova. PBS Television. 15
Jan. 2005. Orion
Web Reference. 5 Feb. 2001. Orion Space Imaging. Web. 16 Oct. 2007. |
Example #2—a career research summary
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MATH
TEACHER AS A CAREER EXAMPLE OUTLINE Introduction Outlook Requirements Working Conditions Conclusion Sources SUMMARY A Career Teaching High School Math Introduction: Teaching
is one of the oldest professions and one of the most important to the health
and progress of society. Today’s teachers are even more
influential because they in some ways have replaced the parents in the role
of raising the next generation. I have found
that teaching high school math is the career I want to pursue. Outlook: Estimates
show a growing need for all types of teachers including math teachers in the
next few years because many of today’s teachers will soon reach retirement
age. In addition, a growing need for math exists if students are to be
able to compete in a high-technology world. Requirements: A
4-year college degree is required to teach high school math. The
courses include math courses as well as education courses to learn how to
communicate the math knowledge to the students. In addition, at least a
six-month student teaching practicum is required to earn provisional state
certification. After receiving state certification, a new teacher has
three years to complete a “fifth year” or master’s degree to receive
permanent certification. Working
Conditions: A
high school math teacher teaches from September through June. His or
her day begins around 7 a.m. and ends around 3 p.m. Some afternoons and
evenings there are meetings required as well as time to grade student papers
and prepare lessons for the next day. High
school math teachers in District 81 teach five sections of math a day, each
section lasting about fifty minutes and each class having about thirty
students. Sections can include beginning math and arithmetic through
calculus. Classroom environments can be traditional or lab-oriented. Conclusion: After
exploring this career field, I am even more convinced that it is the job I
want. I feel I am ready and willing to spend the years in school
necessary to achieve this. Sources Between
Math and a Hard Place.
Jan. 2000. Web Careers. Web. 22 Nov. 2007. Hill,
Robert. “Teaching Opportunities for the Future.” Career Report
March 2005: 34-38. Landis,
Carl. Personal interview. 5 Oct 2007. Murphy,
Angela. Teaching Math and Science in the Next Century. New York:
Publicist Press, 2000. National
Teachers of Mathematics Association. 2000. Web. 23 Nov. 2007. Norland, Roberta. Telephone interview. 3 Nov 2007. |
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Study Skills
94
Name:________________________ J. Roth FOCUSED
TOPIC IDEA—10 points Due
no later than Thursday, May 12, 2011 The topic for my research summary
will be _________________________________________________________ The summary itself is due no
later than Friday, June 10, and must follow either the Hubble
Space Telescope or the Career Report example. Please note:
This assignment will not be accepted late for any reason, so start early and
work on it regularly. |