Assignment and Research Workshop
This workshop consists of eight individual units as listed below. These course units are in a sequential order based on the series of steps involved in researching information and writing an assignment.
The course will take approximately four hours to complete. You can begin the course by starting at Unit 1 - Analysing your topic, or selecting another unit of your choice.
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Analyse your topic
This unit will help you to fully understand your topic before you begin your information search. It covers steps such as defining your topic, identifying and choosing relevant keywords, and creating a search strategy.
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Locating and retrieving relevant information
This unit discusses the different types of information sources available (print and electronic) and how to locate them.
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Evaluating information
In this unit, you will learn how to evaluate information. Once you have located and retrieved information, whether it is in print (e.g. a book) or electronic (e.g. a website) you must evaluate it for relevance, timeliness, reliability, coverage and accuracy to ensure that the information you are using is appropriate.
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Searching the catalogue
This unit covers all aspects of using the MSIT library catalogue. It guides you through performing an easy search and an expert search, understanding search results, placing reservations, creating bibliographies, and other useful functions of the catalogue. This unit also explains how to locate items on the shelf using the Library of Congress Classification System and call number.
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Searching library databases
The MSIT libraries have many useful online databases. This unit explains what a database is, the different types of databases available, and how to access and search these library databases.
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Advanced internet searching
This unit will give you an understanding of how to find useful and reliable information on the internet. You will learn about different types of search engines and subject directories and various publications pages. The unit will introduce some Web 2.0 sites and teach you valuable techniques, tips and strategies for searching. Evaluating information from the Internet will also be covered in this unit.
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Assignment writing
This unit offers useful suggestions and examples on how to complete assignments such as essays and reports. It covers areas such as planning your assignment, essay writing, report writing, referencing, writing a bibliography, and presentation skills.
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Copyright and plagiarism
As a student there are some aspects of copyright law which you will need to be aware of from time to time. This unit covers the basic rules to follow when it comes to copyright and discusses the issue of plagiarism - passing off someone else's work as your own, by not acknowledging their ownership. This unit is a reminder to acknowledge all sources of information you have used, and reference those sources correctly.
Glossary
This page was last updated at 19-October-2009