Assessment Ideas
Alternatives to the recommended text
Challenge students to find alternative books/resources, when the specific text they want is not available. Get them to work in small groups, then report back on the range of strategies they have identified. Produce a list of these strategies, for distribution later.
Resources:
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- What to do when the book you want isn't available
Annotated bibliography
Create an annotated bibliography, which includes evaluative annotations. This can include a range of sources.
Resources:
- How to prepare an annotated bibliography (Cornell University)
- Academic writing: annotated bibliography (The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Basic bibliography book : a brief guide to compiling bibliographies (Call number: 010.44 5)
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Annotated bibliography - justification
Compile 10 sources for a bibliography. Pick 3 or 5 of the best. Make them justify their choices or explain selection criteria.
Resources:
- How to prepare an annotated bibliography (Cornell University)
- Academic writing: annotated bibliography (The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Basic bibliography book : a brief guide to compiling bibliographies (Call number: 010.44 5)
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Annotated bibliography - web sources
Choose a topic of interest and search the topic on the internet. Cross-reference a number of search engines, and find websites that discuss the topic. Like a research paper, students will have to narrow and broaden accordingly. Students will then produce an annotated bibliography on the topic.
Resources:
- see resources for Annotated bibliography above
- Search Tool chart (Infopeople Project) - provides links to a range of web searching tools
- Search engines quick guide (Infopeople Project) - provides searching hints for some search engines
- Successful Web searching
- Successful Web searching: Evaluating Websites
Anthology
Compile an anthology of readings by one person or on one topic. Include an introduction with biographical information about the author(s) and the rationale for including the works (justify with reviews or critical materials).
Resources:
- Business Who's Who of Australia
- also check for other Who's Who publications in your nearest library
- Hint: within many journal databases, use the word 'review' as a search term, or limit your search to 'Review'
Anthology for unit
Create an anthology for the unit of study. Parameters could include scholarly articles written within the past 10 years, or including book chapters and historical material. An introduction to the anthology that displays an overall understanding of the subject should also be included. Each item should be described, and an explanation given for its inclusion. The assignment could also require a bibliography of items considered for inclusion, as well as copies of items selected.
Resources:
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- Sources of Information - examples of primary secondary and tertiary sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- How the literature is structured (Cornell University) - primary, secondary, tertiary sources - NB: print both pages
- Publication cycle (in the sciences)
- Journal types (COMPASS Online tutorial) - describes the nature and purpose of various journals
Autobiography & seconday sources
Choose an autobiography of someone related to the course content. Find secondary sources which deal with an idea or event described in the autobiography. Compare and contrast the sources.
Resources:
- Business Who's Who of Australia
- also check for other Who's Who publications in your nearest library
- Sources of Information - examples of primary secondary and tertiary sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- How the literature is structured (Cornell University) - primary, secondary, tertiary sources - NB: print both pages
- Identifying Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
- Process of publishing - lists types of information sources and how they are accessed
Bibliography update
Update an existing bibliography or review of the literature
Resources:
- Basic bibliography book : a brief guide to compiling bibliographies (Call number: 010.44 5)
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Biography
Select a scholar/researcher in a field of study and explore that person's career and ideas. Besides locating biographical information, students prepare a bibliography of writings and analyze the reaction of the scholarly community to the researchers work.
Resources:
- see Resources under Autobiography above
- Hint: use personal name searches on databases (by author and subject heading)
- Citation indexes (see your Faculty liaison librarian for more information)
Browse the shelves first
Journals: Browse the journal shelves (or browse specific journals) and copy an article relevant to the topic. Compare this to searching the databases for articles. Reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches.
Books: Browse the book shelves and retrieve a particular item. Compare this to searching the catalogue for books. Reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches.
Resources:
- How the Dewey Decimal System works (Duke University Libraries)
- Dewey Decimal Chart
Activities / lesson plans:
Career choice
Describe a career that you envision yourself in and then research the career choice. What are the leading companies in that area? Why? Choose a company and find out its employment policies in regards to flex-time, family leave, stock options etc. If the company is traded publicly, what is its net worth? What is the outlook for this occupation? Expected starting salary?
Resources:
- Australian Careers
- Gradlink (Graduate Careers Council of Australia)
- Company information ( COMPASS for Accounting - Company Information)
Compare by sources
Select a topic and compare how that topic is treated in 2-5 different sources
Resources:
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- How the literature is structured (Cornell University) - primary, secondary, tertiary sources - NB: print both pages
- Publication cycle (in the sciences)
- Successful Web searching: Evaluating Websites
- Evaluating journal articles
- Critical analysis of information sources in the sciences
Compare by years
Pick a topic and research it in literature from the 60s and 70s. Then research the same topic in the literature of the 80s and 90s. Compare and contrast the topic in a bibliographic essay.
Resources:
- Hint : try limiting your database and catalogue searches by 'date'
Contradict your perspective
Working in pairs or small groups, take for and against 'positions' on an issue - based on a specific article or resource. Find information sources that disagree or contradict your point of view. Bring these back to the wider group for further discussion.
Convert a newspaper article to a scholarly article
Ask students to locate a newspaper article of interest. Their task is to convert that newspaper article into a scholarly piece - using other information sources (and writing style).
Resources:
- Finding newspaper resources at CQU Library
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- "Preparing for the academic assignment" prepared by CQU Communication Learning Centre
Criticism of literature
To develop the ability to evaluate sources, prepare a written criticism of the literature on a particular topic by exploring how others have evaluated sources (eg. finding book reviews, by searching citation indexes to see who is quoting the context of the scholarship in a particular field)
Resources:
- Hint: within many journal databases, use the word 'review' as a search term, or limit your search to 'Review'
- Explore book reviews provided on commercial bookseller websites eg. Amazon
- Citation indexes (see your Faculty liaison librarian for more information)
Database analysis
Select one or more bibliographic databases (eg. library catalogue, journal databases) and critically analyse them in relation to the bibliographic record (eg. record structure, the depth of descriptions..), access points (the searchable fields), and other elements of the user interface (eg. layout and design, help screens etc). Include details of any literature or searches conducted to help you find information related to this assignment. Discuss what you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of your work.
Resources:
- What is a database? (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- Understanding the different types of databases (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- Planning a database search (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Different accounts of same event
Locate and compare different accounts of the same event in the current news, or in past sources.
Resources:
Double entry journal
Keep a journal throughout the term, which shows how and what information you collected for an assignment or project. In a parallel column to this information, include reflective comments about your experience of gathering and using information.
Editorial
Read an editorial and find facts to support it.
Resources:
Encyclopaedia entry
Devise an encyclopaedia entry on a specific topic.
Resources:
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- General and subject specific encyclopaedias
Activities / lesson plans:
Evaluation of own work
Using evaluation criteria for information resources, apply this to a current assignment (either yours or a peers). Assess this assignment, based on the evaluation criteria.
Resources:
- Successful Web searching: Evaluating Websites
- Evaluating journal articles
- Critical analysis of information sources in the sciences
Evaluation of source
Use small groups to explore a resource (eg.database, specific source). Give a presentation to the wider group on their use, and advantages / disadvantages
Resources:
- Successful Web searching: Evaluating Websites
- Evaluating journal articles
- Critical analysis of information sources in the sciences
Journal analysis
Analyse the content, style and audience of 3 journals in a given discipline. This helps to clarify the differences between popular, trade and scholarly journals.
Resources:
- Journal types (COMPASS Online tutorial) - describes the nature and purpose of various journals
- Evaluating journal articles
Activity / lesson plan
Keywords
Explore the differences between everyday English, discipline terminology and library jargon when searching for information. From a list of everyday terms (on a topic), develop a concept map/search strategy for each term (identifying broader/narrower/related terms), appropriate for searching on the catalogue/journal databases/WWW. Use these terms in these sources, and comment on the success of each term.
Resources:
- Guide to searching (COMPASS Online tutorial) - finding keywords
- Creating search strategies (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Activity / lesson plan
Legislation progression
Follow a piece of legislation through Parliament. Use the exercise to help understand the process of government, or following the politics of a critical issue.
Resources:
- Hansard (QLD) search
- Parliament of Australia
- Law resources
Letter to government
Write a letter to the Minister of ___, protesting about the lack of ___ in your region/state. Give economic/social arguments and emphasise statistical sources and evidence in government reports.
Resources:
- Australian federal government site
- Queensland government site
- Types and sources of statistics
- The Writer's Handbook - business letter format (The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Newspaper article
Write a newspaper article describing an event - political, social, cultural whatever suits the objectives - based on their research. This is a good exercise in critical reading and in summarising. The assignment gains interest if several people research the same event in different sources and compare the newspaper articles that result.
Resources:
- Writing for journalists (Call number 808.06607 22)
- News writing and reporting for today's media (Call number 070.43 33/2000)
- Finding newspaper resources at CQU Library
Nobel prize
Nominate someone for one of the Nobel prizes. Learn about the prize, selection criteria and jury for that particular prize.
Resources:
- Official website of the Nobel Foundation
- The Who's Who of Nobel prize winners, 1901-1990 (Call number R001.44 8/1991)
- Encyclopaedia Brittanica
- see resources for Biography above
Policy progression
Follow a particular policy situation as it develops. Who are the organisations involved, what is the history of the issue, what are the ideological conflicts?
Resources:
- Australian federal government site
- Queensland government site
- Finding newspaper resources at CQU Library
Popular magazine article sources
Examine a popular magazine article for the sources of information that were used. Search for sources that could be used to make it a more academic paper.
Resources:
- Journal types (COMPASS Online tutorial) - describes the nature and purpose of various journals
- Evaluating journal articles
- Critical analysis of information sources in the sciences
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Activity / lesson plan
Popular vs scholarly
Locate a popular and scholarly article on the same topic. Compare the 2 articles for content, style, bias, audience etc
Resources:
- Journal types (COMPASS Online tutorial) - describes the nature and purpose of various journals
- Evaluating journal articles
- Critical analysis of information sources in the sciences
- Hint: explore the 'Notice to contributors' in scholarly journals
Activity / lesson plan
Poster presentation
Research a topic, and present it in poster form. Prepare support materials as well, to provide to fellow students.
Resources:
- Techniques for successful seminars and poster presentations (Call number 060.68 2)
- Scientist's guide to poster presentations (Call number 808.0665 16)
- The complete student handbook - see Chpt.11 'Conveying your message by a poster' (Call number 378.198 10)
Primary sources
Locate primary sources about the date of your birth i.e. 1 newspaper headline of a major event, one quotation, one biography, one census figure, one campus event etc. Use a minimum of 6 different sources. Write a short annotation of each source and include the complete bibliographic citation.
Resources:
- How the literature is structured (Cornell University) - primary, secondary, tertiary sources - NB: print both pages
- Process of publishing - lists types of information sources and how they are accessed
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Primary & secondary sources
Use bibliographies, guides to the literature and the Web to find primary sources on an issue or historical period. Then, contrast the treatment in primary sources with the treatment in secondary sources including textbooks.
Resources:
- How the literature is structured (Cornell University) - primary, secondary, tertiary sources - NB: print both pages
- Process of publishing - lists types of information sources and how they are accessed
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Psychological tests
Determine the adequacy of a psychological test based on the literature about the test.Then develop a test designed for a particular clinical (or other) situation, by using published test and the literature about them.
Resources:
- Dictionary of psychological testing, assessment and treatment (Call number 153.93 30/1996)
- Buros Institute - provides information abour psychological tests, test reviews and test publishers
Read the references
Read the articles cited in a research paper. Explain how each is related to the original paper. Explore the circumstances in which it is appropriate to cite other papers? Discuss the different purposes served by those citations.
Resources:
- Referencing (CQU Referencing web site)
Reference guide
Produce a reference guide or infoguide to a specific topic / subject
Resources:
- How the literature is structured (Cornell University) - primary, secondary, tertiary sources - NB: print both pages
- Process of publishing - lists types of information sources and how they are accessed
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- For examples, see CQU Library Subject Area Guides
Report
Follow a cutting edge topic and write a background paper. Keep up with current literature and submit periodic updates. Finish with final report summarising changes.
Resources:
- Finding newspaper resources at CQU Library
- Finding journal articles - using Databases (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- CQU Library Subject Area Guides
- Common types of writing assignments (The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Form and style : research papers, reports, theses (Call number 808.02 16/2000)
- How to write & present technical information (Call number: 808.06665 6/1999)
- Report writing for business (Call number 808.066651 8/1998)
Research paper
Conduct the research for a paper except for writing the final draft. At various times students are required to turn in 1) their choice of topic, 2) an annotated bibliography, 3) an outline, 4) a thesis statement, 5) an introduction and conclusion
Resources:
- Literature review tutorial
- Common types of writing assignments (The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- The research project (Call number: 808.02 51/2000)
- Writing the modern research paper (Call number 808.02 72)
- The craft of research (Call number 001.42 11)
Research trends
Explore relevant annual reviews / yearbooks, over a 5-10 year period. Identify the changing research themes or trends, and how these are represented in the literature.
Resources:
- Hint: search by keyword using 'yearbook' or 'annual review'
- How the literature is structured (Cornell University) - primary, secondary, tertiary sources - NB: print both pages
- Publication cycle (in the sciences)
Review
Write a review of a book or website. Discuss the purpose of the work; the author's credentials; the accuracy, objectivity and currency of the information. Compare and contrast to similar works.
Resources
- Hint: within many journal databases, use the word 'review' as a search term, or limit your search to 'Review'
- Explore book reviews provided on commercial bookseller websites eg. Amazon
- Some search engines (including AltaVista and Google) offer links to 'Similar sites'
- Current Cites - reviews web documents relating to information technology
Same article/different journals
Write an article for 2 different journals on the same topic. Select 1 journal from each of 2 lists (scholarly/popular). Include a reflective / evaluative component as well.
Resources:
- Journal types (COMPASS Online tutorial) - describes the nature and purpose of various journals
- Evaluating journal articles
- Hint: explore the 'Notice to contributors' and 'Instructions to authors' in relevant journals
Scrapbook
Over the period of the semester collect a newspaper article/journal article each week, and create a written response to it. Each week's response needs to be of a different 'type' based on a provided list eg. letter to editor, theoretical analysis of topic …
Resources:
- Finding newspaper resources at CQU Library
- Finding journal articles - using Databases (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Search strategy
As part of an activity that requires searching an electronic database for information, include the search strategy developed/used for that search, and analyse how it was refined and what made it more (or less) successful.
Resources:
- Planning a database search (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- Understanding search strategies (COMPASS Online tutorial)
- Keeping track of your searches (Information Management tutorial)
Activity / lesson plan:
Search strategy paraphrase
Ask students to paraphrase what they have learned about search strategies for a younger sibling who has asked for help with a school assignment
Statistics
Based on a selection of articles that contain or use statistics, ask students to locate the primary source of those statistics. Examine how the statistics were used in the article. Were they interpreted correctly? Can the students find other statistics to support or refute the arguments used?
Resources:
Topic by discipline
Compare the way 2 different disciplines handle the same topic. This could be done with a variety of sources
Resources:
- Databases by subject
- CQU Library Subject Area Guides
- Summary of Information Sources (COMPASS Online tutorial)
Web evaluation
Evaluate a website based on specific criteria
Resources:
- Search Tool chart (Infopeople Project) - provides links to a range of web searching tools
- Search engines quick guide (Infopeople Project) - provides searching hints for some search engines
- Successful Web Searching : Search engines
- Successful Web searching: Evaluating Websites
Web evaluation - own assessment
Develop personal assessment criteria for web sites (and hints). This should be linked to searching for a specific topic (preferably to related assessment).
Resources:
Web perspectives
Use the Internet to find material that represents a variety of perspectives on a topic, then develop an interpretation of it.
Resources:
- Search Tool chart - provides links to a range of web searching tools
- Search engines quick guide - provides searching hints for some search engines
- Successful Web Searching : Search engines
- Successful Web searching: Evaluating Websites
These ideas have been gathered from a number of formal and informal sources.
Acknowledgements:
http://www.nd.edu/~refdept/guides/assign.html (accessed November 13 2003)
http://www.geocities.com/night_librarian/integrating_assignments.htm (accessed November 13 2003)
http://www.library.mun.ca/qeii/instruction/assignment_ideas.php (accessed November 13 2003)
McInnis, R. G. and D. S. Symes (1991). "Running backwards from the finish line : a new concept for bibliographic instruction." Library Trends 39(3): 223-237.
Selected papers from the National LOEX Library Instruction Conference Proceedings 1990-1997