Introduction to Research Essentials
Sort the following sources from the most anecdotal (1) to the most evidence-based (4).
1. opinion editorial 2. daily news report 3. research study 4. systemic review
Date of Publication
Think about how current the evidence is or how long has passed since a source experienced an event, as this will influence perspectives and the amount of contextual information available.
What kinds of academic support can you get at CASE (Center for Academic Success and Enrichment)?
A faculty mentor A peer mentor An academic advisor to assist with any questions about your program Writing help Math and physics tutoring
Why do you have to log in to access MCPHS Library materials?
Because the resources are expensive and exclusively for the MCPHS community
scholarly article
Focused analysis or primary research on an aspect of a topic or event. Rigorous peer-review by experts in the field and edited.
Keeping a research log is:
One way to explore various ideas you are developing and to pose counterarguments to your research argument
research topic
a subject you are interested in investigating
What are the barriers that professors and students might encounter when trying to access academic sources?
a. Outdated publishing policies that limit sharing options b. Journals that are too expensive for libraries to subscribe to c. Researchers that refuse to share their original data
What are characteristics that you can look for and then evaluate to determine if a source is legitimate? Choose all that apply. 7.5/10 credit
a. The authors are well-established experts in the field b. If a related industry is funding the research c. Uses methodology appropriate to the research question d. The quality of the typesetting and formatting e. If the authors have vested financial interests in the results
Why is Sci-Hub, the online repository of pirated research papers, so popular?
because it does not care about copyright laws, and contains papers that are hard to find legally
What kind of source does this citation describe? Bain, K. What the best college students do. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
book with one author
Information is created in a neat, linear way and you can always tell how close to an event or how in-depth something is by where it was published.
false
Once you have an initial research topic or question in mind, nothing about it will change over the course of your research.
false
The Internet has removed all gatekeeping between you and information.
false
The only way to receive research assistance at the library is by meeting with a librarian face to face.
false
What are the characteristics of an open access journal? Select all that apply.
free, unrestricted, online
research scope
how large or small your investigation will be
What is another way to describe a refereed journal? Select all that apply.
scholarly, peer reviewed
Which practices have been shown by research to be most productive? Select all that apply:
studying in segments and taking breaks, taking notes that synthesize and summarize concepts in your own words
impact of magazine advertisement on female adolescents' body image
this version of the research topic is pretty well0scoped for a 10-page paper for a class. this version focuses on specific aspects for each main concept
research question
what drives your investigation
original social media post
Individual perspectives (opinion or eye-witness), no outside sources or fact-checking required. These are published almost instantaneously, and there is no required review process before publication.
What is a more accurate description of what your professors will expect from you?
That you practice and improve your critical thinking skills by applying them to the content of each specific course
news media ex
The New York Times. (2017, September 21). Hurricane Maria updates: in Puerto Rico, the storm 'destroyed us.' The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/21/us/hurricane-maria-puerto-rico.html
What best describes confirmation bias?
The tendency for people to embrace information that supports their beliefs and reject information that contradicts them
a government committee announcing a planned vote on a new law three days from now
There isn't enough time for concerned parties to develop evidence-informed options or contact their representatives.
You're working on another project, and for this one you want to write about the ongoing impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico. What are some factors to consider as you start working on your paper?
There may not be much scholarly writing out yet specifically on the impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico. You may have to find peer-reviewed articles on one or another aspect of your topic (eg. impact of hurricanes or the economic history of Puerto Rico). Some of the scholarly articles may be from journals that MCPHS doesn't already have subscriptions to, so you'll need to request them through Interlibrary Loan. That means you'll get an electronic copy of the article within a few days, but you'll need to build that time into your search/research process. You're probably going to rely on a variety of news sources and investigative reporting for perspectives, time lines, statistics, and other facts, so you'll need to be extra careful with your evaluation process to make sure you're using reliable information.
Are researchers required to publish the results of their clinical trials?
They are, but many researchers (academic and industry) either ignore the law or report late
Your roommate is considering getting a pet snake. You both decide to do a bit of searching on reptiles as pets. Your roommate Googles are reptiles good pets, and you Google are reptiles bad pets. Which statement best describes what happens when you compare the first page of the two sets of search results:
They're completely different. There is little to no overlap at all between the two sets of search results, and both sets are mostly opinion-based and a mix of discussion forums and short articles that don't really link to references. You and your roommate are at a complete loss for what to do next.
an inventor not being able to access the most recent patent information
Time and money are wasted on developing a product that already exists.
Where a source is published is the most important factor when evaluating a piece of information for its quality, truthfulness, and seriousness.
false
You can sort Google results so it shows you results by importance or by points of view other than your own.
false
Fill in the blanks with the correct answers: Commercial companies find __________ in your personal profile information and online searching activities. This information is __________.
value, bought and sold
When gathering information for your paper, you should include:
variety of evidence based perspectives even if they disagree with your opinion
Where are legitimate breakthroughs that revolutionize our understanding of a field most likely to appear?
A highly-ranked and well-known journal
The algorithms that determine search results on the Internet are:
Opaque, created by people, and shaped by larger societal biases, advertising incentives, and human shortcomings.
I want to use Boolean operators, truncation, and punctuation to include a lot of keyword options related to teenagers in my search. Which one of the following is the broadest while still staying on topic and making the database do most of the work for me? 0/10
Teenagers OR teens OR adolescents OR "young adults" Teen* OR adolescen* OR young adult*
media's influence on body image
While this might be your initial thought for a research topic, you quickly realize that there are so many different potential directions to take this research topic, you might become overwhelmed with sources and end up with a slightly unfocused paper as you try to include something on everything.
social media post ex 5/10
David Begnaud. (2017, Sep 27). Maddening. 3,000 shipping containers packed with food water and medicene have been sitting at the port in Puerto Rico since Saturday [Twitter post]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/davidbegnaud/status/913088574983168000
What's the advantage of incorporating truncation into your search strategies? 0/10
It saves time by telling the database to search for all the endings of the keyword
not being able to read or understand the instructions for your prescription medication
Missing a dose and the condition worsens.
If errors are found in an article after it's been published, can anything be done about it?
Yes, the article can be amended or retracted (although the original copy with errors may still be available on the Internet)
impact of magazine ad on development of eating disorders in female adolescents in boston
You might have gotten to this research topic after initially going too broad, and now you're really trying to narrow it down. However, you've included an element that's so specific that you may have a hard time finding enough relevant sources to address every aspect of your topic. Keep this one in mind if you want to do original research!
Which is more accurate: a. The content you see online (advertising, search results, suggested articles and friends, etc.) are customized to your past behavior online, geographic location, other sign-ins, the country you're in, and other factors. b. The content you see online (advertising, search results, suggested articles and friends, etc.) is standard for everyone, everywhere in the world.
a
What are some ways to enter the scholarly conversation about a topic? Select all that apply.
ask prof or subject librarian for recommended works, read a journal that publishes on the topic, browse within databases to view the overall research trends on a topic
While you can get academic support at almost any time, when is the most practical and productive time to ask for research help?
at least a few days before your assignment is due, after you've tried on your own and you've figured out where you're getting stuck
What are most likely to be the 3 best keywords from this question: "What can colleges do to promote recycling?"
colleges, promote, recycling
There is an absolute, sure-fire way for you, as a reader, to know that a particular scientific paper is correct.
false
A website is not mobile friendly and is difficult to navigate on a smaller screen. What is the most likely consequence of this access barrier?
A potential user refuses to use the website and uses other sites that may not be as accurate or stops looking altogether
What statement best describes a scholarly conversation?
A sustained discourse over time and in a variety of formats in which a community of scholars, researchers, and/or professionals engage with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations
When you're searching, what's a keyword?
A word or phrase that describes an essential characteristic of your question/topic
Which Boolean operator does this diagram show? venn diagram
AND: connects different concepts (keywords) narrows down the number of results
What's the primary goal of evidence-based medicine?
Commitment to thinking critically about the quality of studies, and making the best research accessible in places where it can save lives
Evidence
Consider the depth, quality, and quantity of this that the author, publication, or authority is using to support their findings.
Perspective or bias
Consider whether an author, publication, or authority might favor a position or finding over another for reasons not directly discussed in the information source. Consider how your own assumptions influence how critical you are (or are not) of a source.
news media article
Description of current events, includes short quotes from experts and witnesses, some background information and analysis. These are published daily, and there are reviewers/editors before publication.
long form journalism
Detailed analysis of an event, including quotes from multiple sources, in-depth background information, external sources and experts. Often found in monthly publications, or not on a set schedule. These are reviewed, edited, and fact-checked.
What's included in the MCPHS Smart Search?
Everything - books, media, full articles, article citations, and even citations for sources that we'll get for you through Interlibrary Loan from another library
Everybody else already knows all of this and has all these academic skills down.
False! Everyone comes in with different experiences, but everyone (including your professors) is here to learn and ask questions.
reference source ex
Hurricane Maria. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved July 25, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Maria
academic books
In-depth compilation of a large amount of information on a topic or event with an original analysis or perspective on it. Months or years will have passed before this is published, and there is an editing and fact-checking process prior to publication.
Using this article: Reda, S. F., Reda, S. M., Thomson, W. M., & Schwendicke, F. (2018). Inequality in utilization of dental services: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 108(2), e1-e7. What is the title of this article?
Inequality in Utilization of Dental Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
scholarly article ex
Kishore, N., Marqués, D., Mahmud, A., Kiang, M. V., Rodriguez, I., Fuller, A., ... Buckee, C. O. (2018). Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. New England Journal of Medicine, 379(2), 162-170. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa1803972
Since a scholarly conversation happens over time and has many sides, how can you see different parts of it in the literature you read? Select all that apply.
Look at the reference list of an article to see the previous works the author is building on and/or responding to b. Search in a database like Scopus or Google Scholar that offers a "cited by" option - a tool that shows you how articles have previously been used as references c. Academic articles have to include a summary of all the previous work in the field, so the scholarly conversation is included in any article or chapter you read d. When reading a chapter from an edited book, check the table of contents for other perspectives on the same topic
Your professor wants you to include a reliable consumer health focused website as a reference for your paper on schizophrenia. Which of the following sources would meet that criteria? Hint: look at the citation for clues, but also the sources themselves.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.) What is schizophrenia?. Retrieved July 17, 2018, from https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-conditions/schizophrenia NAMI is an organization focused on raising awareness and providing support and education around mental health, and this section on schizophrenia is writing for the general public - it's easy to read with very little jargon. Do not that this resource is undated, and all its links stay within the resources NAMI created, so consider pairing this with another source to confirm that they're in consensus with the larger field.
long form journalism ex
Ortiz, O. R. (2018, March 14). Puerto Rico journalists expose reality of hurricane damage. Retrieved July 17, 2018, from https://gijn.org/2018/03/14/the-investigative-journalism-outfit-that-aided-in-puerto-ricos-recovery/
a school district banning a book because one parent complained about it
Other members of the community aren't given the opportunity to decide if they want to access those ideas.
Which of the following is a more accurate description of the peer-review process?
Peer reviewers carefully read a paper to make sure its methods, reasoning, and conclusions are logical, but they can miss innocent mistakes or deliberate misconduct.
reference source
Provides concise background/explanatory information on a topic or event, usually synthesizing information from many sources, but not offering original commentary. There will often be lots of references at the end, and sometimes additional reading suggested. These entries are always reviewed, but the reviewers are not necessarily experts in the field, and publication time varies widely, depending on the platform.
The "serials pricing crisis" refers to:
Publishers continuing to raise subscription prices to journals, making it difficult for even well-funded libraries such as Harvard's to be able to afford all the necessary titles
I don't know anything about schizophrenia, but I have to write a paper about it. Which one of the following sources would I use for an overview, definitions, and some potential keywords to further my search? Hint: look at the citation for clues, but also the sources themselves.
Schizophrenia. (2010). In H. Marcovitch (Ed.), Black's medical dictionary, 42nd edition (42nd ed.). London, UK: A&C Black. Retrieved from https://ezproxymcp.flo.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/topic/schizophrenia?institutionId=1942 This summary article about schizophrenia should give you an introduction to the topic, and the Credo Reference topic page that it's part of will suggest more in-depth resources and related topics for your to explore. This may be a good place for you to get a broad sense of the topic and some ideas for keywords.
While it can be difficult, why would you want to determine or limit the scope of a research topic? Choose all that apply:
So that you're less frustrated by the searching process So that what you find is a better fit for your project To save time when you're sifting through search results
What are the benefits of open access publishing?
anyone can read the latest research, potentially more visibility and impact for authors, unexpected trends can be uncovered through text-mining
Peer-reviewed __ are a trusted form of scientific __. __-reviewed work isn't necessarily __ or conclusive, but it does meet the standards of science.
articles, communication, peer, correct
An expert in a field might publish or discuss their work in which of the following ways? Select all that apply.
daily show to talk about research-based book, tweeting links to peer-reviewed article, as a professor in the classroom
__ help doctors and other health care providers more easily __ and make __ of a wider selection of data. they often __ misconceptions about important ___ ____ that have crept into the medical practice
systemic reviews, access, sense, correct, health issues
