Post on 04-Jan-2016
Gathering andEvaluating
Information
Researching Information
►Gathering and evaluating information ●Examine what you know already and
areas where you need additional information.
●Locate and evaluate information sources.
●Prepare research cards.
●Cite sources.2
Chapter Sections►Locate & evaluate information
sources
►Identify and select relevant information
►Record information
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Chapter Section One
Locate & Evaluate Information Sources
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Personal Knowledge
►Based on experience, and observation
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Secondary Research►The process of locating
information about your topic that has been discovered by other people
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Types of Secondary Research ►Encyclopedias
►Books
►Articles
►Newspapers
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Types of Secondary Research (cont..)►Statistical sources
►Biographies
►Quotation books and websites
►Government documents
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Skimming to Determine Source Value►A method of rapidly going through a work to determine what is covered and how
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Evaluating Sources
►Criteria for judging sources
●Authority
●Objectivity
●Currency
●Relevancy10
Primary Research►Conducting your own study in the
field●Fieldwork Observations
●Surveys
●Interviews
●Original artifact or document examinations
●Experiments
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Fieldwork Observations►Also known as ethnography
►The focusing on specific behaviors or observations and taking notes on your observations
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Surveys
►A canvassing of people to get information about their ideas and opinions, which are then analyzed for trends
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Interviews►Planned, structured conversations
where one person asks questions and another answers them.
Rob_Loud / Getty Images
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Interview Steps►Selecting the best person
►Preparing the interview protocol
►Conducting the interview
►Processing the interview
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Preparing the Interview Protocol ►Primary and secondary questions
►Open and closed questions
►Neutral and leading questions
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Conducting the Interview►Dress professionally.
►Be prompt.
►Be courteous.
►Ask permission to record.
►Listen carefully.17
Conducting the Interview (cont..)►Keep the interview moving.
►Monitor your nonverbal reactions.
►Get permission to quote.
►Confirm credentials.
►End on time, and thank the interviewee.
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Processing the Interview►Sit down with your notes as soon as
possible after the interview and make individual research cards of the information you may want to use in the speech.
►If at any point you are not sure whether you have accurately transcribed what the person said, contact the person to double-check.
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Original Artifact orDocument Examinations►This consists of examining an original
unpublished source, such as an ancient manuscript, a diary, personal correspondence, or company files; or
►Viewing an object to get the information you need, such as a geographic feature, a building, a monument, or an artifact in a museum.
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Experiment►A designed study to test a hypothesis
you have●You must understand the principles of the
scientific process of experimentation to be able to trust results of a formal experiment.
●Alternatively, you can try an informal experiment to test the results of a study you learn about elsewhere.
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Chapter Section Two
Identify and Select Relevant Information
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Types of Relevant Information►Factual Statements
►Expert Opinions
►Elaborations
►Drawing Information from Multiple Cultural Perspectives
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Factual Statements►Statements that can be verified
●Statistics - numerical facts
●Examples - specific instances that illustrate or explain a general factual statement
●Definition - a statement that clarifies the meaning of a word or phrase
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Factual Statements (cont..)
●Expert opinions - interpretations and judgments made by authorities in a particular subject area
●Elaborations - Both factual information and expert opinions can be elaborated on through anecdotes and narratives, comparisons and contrasts, or quotable explanations and opinions
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Multiple Cultural Perspectives►It is important to draw your
information from culturally diverse perspectives by,
●Seeking sources that have differing cultural orientations, and by
●Interviewing experts with diverse cultural backgrounds.
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Chapter Section Three
Record Information
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Recording Information►Preparing research cards
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Citing Sources in The Speech► Failure to cite sources is unethical.
► Failure to cite sources orally during your speech constitutes plagiarism.
► You must provide oral footnotes during your speech - references to an original source.
► Include enough information for listeners to access the sources themselves.
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