advanced business writing, writing homework help

Research Log Project Part 2

Note: This project has not yet been saved.

Instructions: Work through each step of this log,
answering each question as the directions indicate. Step 1 is not
graded. Steps 2 through 5 will each receive a grade, and the sum of
these grades will constitute your total grade for Research Log Project
Part 2. Refer to the section on how each step of the log will be graded
for detailed grading information.

Step 1: Thinking Back to Research Log Project Part 1

A. Research Question

Record your research question from Research Project Log Part 1
(Step 1)

B. Original Boolean Search Statement

Record your original search statement
from Research Log Project Part 1 (Step 3)

How will Step 1 be graded?

Step 1 will not receive a grade.

Step 2: UMUC Library Database Search

A. Database Search

Use the search statement you recorded in Step 1, Part B to search
in one of the following UMUC library databases:

• Academic Search Complete
• MasterFILE Premier

Which database did you search?

Hint: Refer to Week 2 for a review of UMUC library
databases.

B. Review Search Results

Review the search results from the database search you performed
in Step 2, Part A and answer all of the following questions:

Were you able
to successfully use the search statement from Step 1, Part B
in the database, or did you receive an error/search failed
message when trying your search?

Yes,

I was able to successfully use the original

search statement from Step 1, Part B in the database.

No, the search was unsuccessful and I received an error/search failed message.

If you received an error/search failed message from the database, were
you able to identify the problem with your search statement?

N/A—I did

not receive an error/search failed message.

Yes, I was able to identify why I received an error/search failed

message.

No, I was unable to identify why I received an error/search failed

message.

Did you have to revise the
search statement you created in Step 1, Part B in order to retrieve
search results in the database search you performed
in Step 2, Part A?

Yes, I had to
revise the search statement in order to retrieve
relevant search results in the database.
No, I did not have to revise the search statement in order
to retrieve relevant search results in the
database.

Identify and list additional keywords that
you may use to search further on this topic by reviewing
article titles, article abstracts, subject headings, and the
articles themselves.

Hint: Refer to Week 2 for a review of databases, including subject headings in databases.

C. Revised Search Statement

Review your instructor’s comments from Research Log Project Part 1
for ways to improve your search statement. Review the additional
keywords you identified in the box above (in Step 2, Part B). Based on
this information, enter a revised search statement in the box below,
using more effective search terms and techniques.

Hint: The revised search statement must be different
in some way than the search statement that you used in Research Log
Project Part 1 (Step 3) and recorded above in Step 1, Part B. Review the
hints and examples in Research Log Project Part 1. For example, you
might add, subtract, or change alternative search terms, or you might
alter your use of truncation to discover more focused, relevant results.
Refer to Week 1 for a review of Boolean operators, search statements,
and advanced searching techniques.

How will Step 2 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 points): Does not list alternative relevant keywords, or the search statement is not revised, or both.

Satisfactory (3–4 points): The revised search statement is adequate
and demonstrates some appropriate advanced searching techniques
correctly, but does not incorporate instructor feedback from Research
Log Project Part 1 or choice of alternative keywords does not reflect
careful review of search results.

Excellent (5 points): Lists alternative relevant keywords that
demonstrate the student reviewed article titles, abstracts, subject
headings, and articles. The search statement is effectively revised
based on both instructor feedback from Research Log Project Part 1 and
database search results from Step 2 and expertly demonstrates advanced
searching techniques.

Step 3: Research Guide Search

Try your search statement in a different UMUC library database than the one you searched in Step 2, Part A. Consult a research guide
on the UMUC Library website appropriate to your research question to
help you identify the relevant databases in which to research your
topic. Do not use UMUC OneSearch for this project.

A. Research Guide

What is the name of the research guide
you used to locate an appropriate database in which to search?

Example: Guide to Economics and Finance

Hint: Refer to Week 2 for a review of research guides.

B. Database Name

What is the name of the database in which you
searched?

Example: PubMed

Hint: This must be a different database than Academic Search Complete or MasterFILE Premier.

C. Boolean Search Statement

Enter the search statement you used to successfully search the database.

Hint: You can use the revised search statement that you recorded above (Step 2, Part C) or a new, further revised search statement.
This must be the statement that you used to get the results recorded in Step 5 below.

How will Step 3 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 point): The selected database is not new or from
an appropriate research guide; the search statement did not work in the
selected database.

Satisfactory (3–4 points): The selected database is from an
appropriate research guide, and the search statement is adequate and
produces results in the selected database.

Excellent (5 points): The selected database is from an appropriate
research guide, and the search statement is effectively revised and
produces results in the selected database.

Step 4: Select a Relevant Article

A. Citation Information

From the search results you retrieved in Step 3, select a full-text, in-depth
article that is relevant to your research question. The article should not just
be a brief overview of the topic but rather should address the key concepts of your
research question and be as in-depth as possible, preferably written by an
expert or credentialed author(s) in the field. Record the citation information
in the spaces below.

Hint: Do NOT select newspaper or popular magazine
articles, encyclopedia entries, or very brief journal articles
(including editorials or letters to the editor), that would be useful
only for background research. The article must be an in-depth article on
your topic.

Article Title

Periodical/Publication Title (e.g.,
Harvard Business Review).

B. Article Type

Is the source (periodical/publication) of the article scholarly, trade, or popular?

Hint: Refer to table 2.4 in Week 2 for a review of periodical
literature types. Consult the database Ulrichsweb Global Serial Directory for
assistance if needed.

How can you tell?

Hint: Review the article itself to describe the characteristics of the periodical type in more detail.

C. Database

In which UMUC library database did you find the full text of the selected article?

How will Step 4 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 point): The selected article is not relevant or
is too brief to be useful for the topic, or the article type is not
correctly identified.

Satisfactory (3–4 points): The selected article is relevant to the topic, and the article type is correctly identified.

Excellent (5 points): The selected article is both in-depth and
highly relevant to the topic, and the article type is correctly
identified and fully evaluated.

Step 5: Article Evaluation

A. Evaluate the Article Content

Using the general evaluation criteria described in Week 3, explain in the
boxes below how the article you selected meets each of the criteria (authority,
reliability, coverage, and currency). Describe each aspect of your selected article in detail.

Hint: Refer to the table 3.2, which describes
authority, reliability, coverage, and currency.

Authority

Reliability

Coverage

Currency

B. Article Relevancy

Explain why you selected this particular article (Step 4) and how it
is relevant to your research question. What are some specific points the
article made that would assist you in writing a paper that addresses
your research question? Your response must be at least two complete
sentences.

Hint: Refer to Week 3 for information on analyzing sources and evaluating content.

How will Step 5 be graded?

Unsatisfactory (0–2 points): Does not answer all of the evaluation
criteria questions, or satisfactorily answer the article relevancy
question, or both.

Satisfactory (3–6 points): Minimally answers the evaluation criteria
questions, or minimally answers the article relevancy question, or both.

Very Good (7–9 points): Answers evaluation criteria questions
adequately but with little detail, or answers article relevancy question
with little detail, or both.

Excellent (10 points): Thoroughly responds to the evaluation criteria
questions with details about the selected article’s authority,
reliability, coverage, and currency, and thoroughly responds to the
article relevancy question.

To save a draft of your work on this project to return to at a later
time, use the Save Draft button below. The next time you return to
Research Log Project Part 2, the fields you have entered will be
retrieved and entered in the project form.

Note: Most fields require text entry. If a required field is
left blank, your work will not be submitted. The empty fields
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specific field, simply type N/A.

When you have completed this project, you can submit your work to your
instructor by using the Submit Research Log Project Part 2 for Grading button below. Review your
work before you do this; you will be unable to edit it further after submitting
it.

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