Learning Outcomes:

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

1. better understand an assignment by deconstructing it to its basic parts
2. identify appropriate resources to successfully complete an assignment.

Introduction:

 

Assignment Logistics:

Check your understanding:

Identifying the Topic:

Check your understanding:

Identifying the Purpose:

Check your understanding:

Key Terms in an Assignment:

Download a copy of key terms through The Learning Portal from College Libraries Ontario

Check your understanding:

Review your Interpretation of the Assignment:

Check your understanding:

Identifying Resources:

Check your understanding:

Reflect on the Assignment:

Check your understanding:

Assignment Calculators:

Examples of useful assignment planning tools:

• Seneca College
• University of Toronto
• Ryerson University

Chapter Summary:

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

1. identify some goals to keep in mind as you choose a topic,
2. choose an approach to further develop, broaden or narrow your topic,
3. search for resources to get you started.

Introduction:

Research Process Overview:

Check your understanding:

Goals of Choosing a Topic:

Check your understanding:

Brainstorming

Check your understanding:

 

Check your understanding:

Broadening and Narrowing your Topic:

Check your understanding:

Helpful Resources:

Check your understanding:

Further Resources:

Visit niagaracollege.ca/library for full contact information or email library@niagaracollege.ca.

For further information on this topic:

The Learning Portal by College Libraries Ontario. The Writing Hub – Choose a Topic. https://tlp-lpa.ca/research/choose-a-topic

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). Invention: Starting the Writing Process. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/OWL/resource/587/01

Check your understanding:

 

 

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

1. define what a library database is,
2. list different ways of how to access a library database on the library’s website,
3. articulate the benefits of using library databases in order to complete your research.

Introduction:

Library Database Definition:

 

Check your understanding:

How to Find a Library Database?:

Check your understanding:

Benefits of Using a Library Database:

Check Your Understanding:

Review:

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. articulate the differences between popular and scholarly periodicals,
2. use these differences to help identify whether or not an article is popular or scholarly when doing a research assignment for class.

What is a Periodical?:

Check your understanding:

Popular vs. Scholarly Periodicals:

Check your understanding:

Finding Scholarly Articles:

Check your understanding:

Conclusion:

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

1. distinguish between primary and secondary sources,
2. use each type of source appropriately in your research.

Content originally created by Jen Klaudinyi for CLIP, modified by Jaclyn Chambers Page for Niagara College Libraries

Introduction:

View video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/TfYSu69vfXT0

Primary Sources: What are they?

View video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/b49butdYGoK

Check your understanding:

Primary Source Examples:

View recording with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/NVPn7GJiQcw2

Check your understanding:

When to use Primary Sources:

View video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/NVPn7GJiQcw2

Check your understanding:

Secondary Sources: What are they?

View video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/T97mTAsjrjr

Check your understanding:

Secondary Source Examples:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/6Ahgzft3rbx

Check your understanding:

When to use Secondary Sources:

View video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/jfSSFeKxqTTl

Check your understanding:

Primary and Secondary Sources Compared:

View video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/hWIutxb968k

Check your understanding:

Primary and Secondary Sources: The Importance of Context

View video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/Wy0K0DyG

Check your understanding:

Primary and Secondary Sources: Review

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/pOL4TJ2kdzG

Check your understanding:

Questions:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/yzYd0ab4u19

 

Email library@niagaracollege.ca or visit niagaracollege.ca/library for full contact information.

Credits:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/TOgEALL2czB

Learning Outcomes

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

1. describe why creating good search terms is important,
2. identify different strategies for creating effective search terms.

Introduction

How Effective Search Terms Help

Check your understanding:

The Research Process

Check your understanding:

Identify Main Ideas

Check your understanding:

Brainstorming Search Words

Check your understanding:

Synonyms and Related Words

Check your understanding:

Questions

Email questions to library@niagaracollege.ca or visit niagaracollege.ca/library for full contact information.

For further information on this topic:

The Learning Portal by College Libraries Ontario. The Writing Hub – Choose a Topic. https://tlp-lpa.ca/research/choose-a-topic

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL). Invention: Starting the Writing Process. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/OWL/resource/587/01

 

Learning outcomes:

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

1. apply advanced search techniques to find appropriate internet resources,
2. develop strategies to search the internet efficiently.

Introduction

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/gnnzYCCLLGv8

Google Basics

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/K616k3jsdZst

Check your understanding:

Search Strategies

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/2Lrnu3Kp

Check your understanding:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/3F1srsaDO

Check your understanding:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/SQezoUiNvLd5

Check your understanding:

Google Advanced Search Features

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/kP5LiSIAi3mR

Check your understanding:

Other Search Engines to Try

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/sVpBiHqe

Check your understanding:

Review

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/BOUy4UXiy

Questions

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/8rvWeRP7m2

Please email library@niagaracollege.ca with any questions.

References

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/MgPIug4b0g

Find more information from these sources:

• How to Search on Google
• Refine Web Searches

Credits

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/bNUKnDBmWkz

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this chapter you will be able to:

1. identify key components to evaluating information,
2. apply the CRAAP test as an evaluation tool.

Introduction:

This chapter will outline some key concepts to consider when analyzing internet sources. This knowledge will help you do better research for assignments and in daily life.

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/IdgATv88W

The importance of evaluating sources:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/zaFUCLgi

Check your understanding:

Consider the source:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/v7p116Sy7Gnj

Check your understanding:

Motivation & Bias:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/YMhRgDdJ

Check your understanding:

Check the evidence:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/UcB97vpbJ2

Check your understanding:

Timeliness:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/mQ6Mts1csxVh

Check your understanding:

The CRAAP/RADAR Test:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/jKwwo3odKI

Check your understanding:

What makes news “fake”?

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/dntdiX9NLN

Check your understanding:

Conclusion: be a skeptic!

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/OGcSDzLSzEbr

Check your understanding:

Questions & credits:

View the video with closed captions: https://www.screencast.com/t/KhASPMQK

Email your questions to library@niagaracollege.ca

 

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

• define plagiarism,
• identify consequences for committing plagiarism at Niagara College,
• describe some common types of plagiarism,
• name one way to avoid plagiarism in your own work.

Introduction:

Unsure of what plagiarism actually is? Watch this video to find out.

 

Check your understanding:

Student Responsibilities:

As a Niagara College student, you are responsible to uphold the College’s standards for academic integrity and honesty.  Here are two essential items you need to be aware of regarding plagiarism:

• ​Niagara College’s Academic Honesty Policy
• Niagara College’s Academic Rights and Responsibilities Policy

The same information can also be found in the “Academic Responsibilities” section of the student handbook.

Check your understanding:

Types of Plagiarism:

There is more than one way to get accused of committing plagiarism. Watch this video to learn the different types of plagiarism so that you can avoid it in your own work.

 

Check your understanding:

The Why, Where, and When of Citing:

One of the easiest ways to avoid being accused of plagiarism is to always cite your sources. Watch this video for more information on why you should cite your sources, as well as where/when to cite your sources.

 

Check your understanding:

Additional Sources:

• ncLibraries’ “Avoiding Plagiarism” module
• ncLibraries “Citation + Plagiarism” research guide
• The Learning Portal’s “How to Cite” guide

 

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

1. identify key principles of Canadian Copyright Law,
2. understand how to copy “right” as a Niagara College Student,
3.  articulate limits to the Public Domain and Fair Dealing,
4. name alternatives to traditional copyright practices.

Overview of Canadian Copyright Law:

Check your understanding:

Copyright Policy at Niagara College:

As a Niagara College student, you are responsible for following the copyright practices of the college. In particular, you should be aware of:

• Niagara College’s Copyright Compliance Policy

Check your understanding:

Understanding the Public Domain:

Check your Understanding:

Understanding Fair Dealing:

Check your understanding:

Understanding the Creative Commons:

Check your understanding:

Additional Resources:

• ncLibraries “Copyright for Students” Subject Guide
• ncLibraries “Guidelines for Posting, Scanning, and Copying”
• ncLibraries “Citation + Plagiarism” Subject Guide

 

 

 

Learning outcomes:

After completing this module, you will be able to:

1. explain why it is important to document sources,
2. describe different types of commonly used citation styles,
3. know how to construct and use citations in your own work.

Introduction

Please watch the following video to learn some key facts about citations.  Make sure you take note of the section on “common knowledge”:

Check your understanding:

The Importance of Scholarly Sharing:

As you learned in the plagiarism module, by giving credit to your sources you are contributing to the conversation of scholarship!

What does this mean? Citing your sources allows others to conduct further research into your topic by following the same path you took and drawing their own conclusions.  Appropriate sourcing also demonstrates that you are a respectful and diligent researcher, which is essential to your professional reputation.

ncLibraries Citation + Plagiarism Guide:

The ncLibraries Citation + Plagiarism guide is a tool created to help you construct citations successfully. Please review the guide and complete the digital “scavenger hunt” below (all of the answers can be found in the guide):

APA Jumble:

Use the Citation + Plagiarism guide to help you choose the correct reference in this APA jumble.

Integrating your citations:

In order to ensure you avoid plagiarism, you also need to integrate sources into your work correctly.

You may have noticed the examples in the previous tutorial forgot to emphasize this point, so here is a helpful guide to help you use your sources appropriately (examples are APA Style): Integrating Quotations.pptx.

You can also download helpful tip sheets from College Libraries Ontario’s Learning Portal, including:

• Using Quotations
• Paraphrasing
• Avoiding Plagiarism

Check your understanding:

Citation Generators:

There are a number of citation generators available online for free and from library databases.  These are extremely useful tools, but always make sure to proofread your results!

Check your understanding:

Additional Resource: The Learning Portal

Visit College Libraries Ontario’s Learning Portal for further resources on citing and referencing.

References

Buck, Stephanie. (n.d.). Why you need to cite sources [Video file]. Retrieved from https://softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/iLrlI5R1x7FUmo/html

HumberLibraries. (2014, November 12). APA in minutes [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/m1jDr93WC4A?list=PLOjUhNG9PY-GI5hMLuxDQ2yyiCcdVJNa0

Klaudinyi, K. (n.d.). Incorporating sources into your research paper [Video file]. Retrieved from https://softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/8kJ0PRcb3E9wlo/html

Memorial University Libraries. (2013, September 10). Referencing sources in APA style: A basic introduction [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/gGtkh_-9OC0

NC Libraries. (2014, December 19). Don’t lose “cite” of avoiding plagiarism [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/IJIqWTAN8Qc

NC Libraries. (2017, October 4). The why, where, and when of citing [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/4sMLdrwVzvo

NC Libraries. (2018, December 17). Citation generation with ncLibraries [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/qZt3FBOx1Fs

 

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

1. explain why it is important to document sources,
2. describe different types of commonly used citation styles,
3. know how to construct and use citations in your own work.

Introduction:

Please watch the following video to learn some key facts about citations. Make sure you take note of the section called “Common Knowledge.”

 

Check your understanding:

The Importance of Scholarly Sharing:

As you learned in the plagiarism module, by giving credit to your sources you are contributing to the conversation of scholarship!

What does this mean? Citing your sources allows others to conduct further research into your topic by following the same path you took and drawing their own conclusions.  Appropriate sourcing also demonstrates that you are a respectful and diligent researcher, which is essential to your professional reputation.

ncLibraries Citation + Plagiarism Guide:

The ncLibraries Citation + Plagiarism guide is a tool created to help you construct citations successfully. Please review the guide and complete the digital “scavenger hunt” below (all of the answers can be found in the guide):

IEEE Jumble:

Use the Citation + Plagiarism guide to help you choose the correct reference in this IEEE Jumble.

IEEE Citation Guide:

In addition to ncLibraries Citation + Plagiarism guide, the 2018 IEEE Reference Guide is freely available online for users to access.

Users are instructed to consult the Chicago Manual of Style for resources not listed in this guide.

Citation Generators:

There are a number of citation generators available online for free and from library databases.  These are extremely useful tools, but always make sure to proofread your results!

 

Check your understanding:

Additional Resources: The Learning Portal

Visit College Libraries Ontario’s Learning Portal for further resources on citing and referencing.

In particular, consult the following resources for information on how to incorporate your sources into the body of your essay:

• A Guide to Summarizing
• Paraphrasing
• Using Quotations
• Avoiding Plagiarism

Learning outcomes:

After completing this module, you will be able to:

1. explain why it is important to document sources,
2. describe different types of commonly used citation styles,
3. know how to construct and use citations in your own work.

Introduction

Please watch the following video to learn some key facts about citations.  Make sure you take note of the section on “common knowledge”:

Check your understanding:

The Importance of Scholarly Sharing:

As you learned in the plagiarism module, by giving credit to your sources you are contributing to the conversation of scholarship!

What does this mean? Citing your sources allows others to conduct further research into your topic by following the same path you took and drawing their own conclusions.  Appropriate sourcing also demonstrates that you are a respectful and diligent researcher, which is essential to your professional reputation.

ncLibraries Citation + Plagiarism Guide:

The ncLibraries Citation + Plagiarism guide is a tool created to help you construct citations successfully. Please review the guide and complete the digital “scavenger hunt” below (all of the answers can be found in the guide):

MLA Handbook:

In 2016, a new version of MLA style was introduced.  The 8th edition of MLA style is designed to be more flexible in order to meet the needs of researchers in the digital world.  Instead of desiging a specific model for every type of resource possible, MLA has come up with a set of core elements that researchers can use to create citations in a somewhat standard way.

What does this mean for you?

In order to use the new MLA style effectively, you will need to understand the core elements and adjust them to match the resource you are citing.  This process is designed to be easier than trying to find an exact example to follow for every single type of resource you use. ncLibraries has compiled some commonly used types of citations to help you guide you in our Citation Guide.

Borrow the handbook from ncLibraries to learn more:

MLA Handbook (Eighth Edition) by The Modern Language Association of America

Call Number: LB2369 .G53 2016 (Welland and NOTL Campuses)
ISBN: 9781603292627
Publication Date: 2016

Check your understanding:

The Core Elements of MLA Style:

The MLA Style Center has provided a template to help you create your citations.

The following are the core elements of an MLA style citation*, as defined by the 8th edition of the MLA Handbook:

1.Author. –>The author(s) of the work.  For multiple authors, list their names in the same order they appear in the work. MLA Style uses each author’s full name in the following order: authorlastname, authorfirstname.  If there are two authors, invert the second author’s name so it is authorfirstname, authorlastname. If there are three or more authors, use the first author’s name and “et al.”  For example:

One author:

Thompson, Andrea.

Two authors:

Goderich, Felicia, and Merida Oakman.

Three authors or more:

Kerich, David, et al.

2. Title of source. –>Title of the work. Subtitles are included after the main title.

3. Title of container, –>This is the name of the journal, website, newspaper, etc. that contains the work. Sometimes, you will see “nested containers,” for example, an article from a database would have the journal name as the “container” for the article and the database name as the “container” for the journal.

4. Other contributors, –>This refers to other people who were involved with the work, such as an editor or narrator.

5. Version, –> Use this when your source states indications it is a different version from the original, e.g., revised edition, 8th edition, director’s cut

6. Number, –>This element is used to refer to volume numbers in books, volume and/or issue numbers in journals, seasons and episodes in television shows, etc.

7. Publisher, –>The publisher is the organization responsible for making the source available to the public.

8. Publication date, –>This is the date when the source was published.

9. Location. –> This refers to the location of your source within its container, for example the page numbers of an essay from an anthology, the URL of a page or post from a website, or the page numbers of an article from a journal.

*NOTE: Depending on the source you are using, you may not need to include all of the elements, but the elements you do include must appear in the order listed above.

Check your understanding:

The MLA Style Center:

The MLA Style Center: A Quick Guide is the official source for templates and examples to help you create your MLA citations.  You’ll find other resources and answers to some FAQs from the MLA Style Center home page.

 

Templates:

You can find MLA 8th edition templates from the following websites:

• MLA Style Centre Practice Templates
• Noodletools MLA templates
• Fillable MLA Template (From MLA Handbook (8th ed.), published by the Modern Language Association (style.mla.org). Annotated by Randall Library, UNCW – December 2016.)

MLA Jumble:

Use the Citation + Plagiarism guide and the other resources described in this chapter to help you choose the correct reference in this MLA jumble.

Integrating your citations:

In order to ensure you avoid plagiarism, you also need to integrate sources into your work correctly.

You may have noticed the examples in the previous tutorial forgot to emphasize this point, so here is a helpful guide to help you use your sources appropriately (examples are APA Style): Integrating Quotations.pptx.

You can also download helpful tip sheets from College Libraries Ontario’s Learning Portal, including:

• Using Quotations
• Paraphrasing
• Avoiding Plagiarism

Check your understanding:

Citation Generators:

There are a number of citation generators available online for free and from library databases.  These are extremely useful tools, but always make sure to proofread your results!

Check your understanding:

Additional Resource: The Learning Portal

Visit College Libraries Ontario’s Learning Portal for further resources on citing and referencing.

References

Buck, Stephanie. “Why You Need to Cite Sources.” Cooperative Library Instruction Project, adapted by ncLibraries, 29 Sept. 2015, https://softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/Yp2zmlGti13wH5/html.

MLA Handbook. 8th ed., MLA, 2016.

NC Libraries. “Citation Generation with ncLibraries.” YouTube, 17 Dec. 2018, https://youtu.be/qZt3FBOx1Fs.

NC Libraries. “Don’t Lose “Cite” of Avoiding Plagiarism.” YouTube, 19 Dec. 2014, https://youtu.be/IJIqWTAN8Qc.

NC Libraries. “The Why, Where, and When of Citing.” YouTube, 4 October 2017, https://youtu.be/bSDpIvw_zqg.