Informing your Practice as a TeacherLibrary Research & Masters Paper – MIT 2007What you’ve done so far: In order to begin learning about the kinds of issues and questions that the professional and academic communities are examining around your TOPIC of interest, I’ve asked you to start searching through the ERIC database and to identify some articles that seem RELEVANT to you topic and emerging questions. By today you should have:1. Found references to three articles on ERIC relevant to your topic of interest. 2. Identified a list of descriptors used on ERIC for your topic of interest. 3. Filled out the information outlined on the research log grid for each article either on your research log grid or in some other log format. (Key is that you have scoured the reference for all the different kinds of information that show up on this grid). Please hand these in at the end of your session today together with the following work. (Make sure your name is on the page)NOTE: Since there seem to be only so many access points for ERIC at any given time, please split the class in half. Half of you work on ERIC the other half work on PSYCH_INFO (To find Psych_info, simply hit the P instead of the E when you get to the References & Journals window on the library website. Scroll down until you find the link). Some things to consider:- The strategies for searching on these two databases are very similar. - The descriptors are not necessarily the same. When you get on to Psych_info you will need to go through the same process as you did last week to identify the descriptors.PART ONE: Explore each of these different ways to narrow and focus your search:Last week you searched by simply putting in two topics into the search windows as KEY WORDS (i.e. if these words show up in any shape or form on the record of information about thearticle, whether it’s the subject or not, the article will show up. E.g. the keyword “motivation” can just as well pick up an article about schools motivation for keeping coke machines in schools, as it can pick up an article about motivation to read). This week I’d like you to explore some other ways to help the computer more specifically hunt for the topics you are interested in. Below are three strategies. 1. Please try each strategy and find references for a total of three of the most relevant and interesting articles, each one from having tried a different one of the search strategies listed below. Fill out the attached research grid log remembering to specify whether you searched using keyword, descriptors or some other filter listed below: (a) Search using relevant and everyday language for your topic using the ABSTRACT filter – how many articles did it pull up?– what do you notice about the range in the focus of the articles?– write down any other new relevant descriptor terms. (b) Search using relevant and everyday language for your topic using the TITLE filter;– how many articles did it pull up?– what do you notice about the range in the focus of the articles?– write down any other new relevant descriptor terms. (c) Search for an article that seems relevant using the DESCRIPTORS filter: (d) After doing these different types of searches, what can you conclude about how to narrow your search and how to broaden your search?Trouble Shooting:If you are entering two words to search for at the same time (e.g. motivation and writing) and you are not getting any bites: - Try entering one word at a time and find out which word is the problematic one. - Look for DESCRIPTORS for each individual word.- Now try searching with these new search terms combined.Scroll down to find the TITLE optionHomework next Thursday in service of myelination and exploration of possible questions:If you have found three relevant abstracts using ERIC today, use the above three methodsto find three relevant abstracts using Psych_INFO. Upcoming: we will work together to (i) examine and summarize what you are learning from reading the abstracts; (ii) compare and contrast types of articles you are finding in ERIC and Psych_INFO; (iii) practice ways of searching for different types of articles (e.g. case study, research, literature review, etc); (iv) locate articles in the library; and (v) order articles using interlibrary loan.By the end of the quarter you will have: 1. found an article that is relevant to your topic from each of the following databases and sources:- ERIC- Psych Info- Government documents - Ethnic Watch- Sociology Abstracts 2. found at least one of each of the following types of articles:- Empirical research- Case study- Literature review- Opinion piece3. For each article you will (i) cite the reference in APA; (ii) briefly explain in your own words why it’s interesting/relevant; (iii) identify whether or not it is a peer reviewed.4. You will pose 2-3 possible research questions (as opposed to topics) and provide a rationale for why they are important/ relevant to your work as a first year teacher.Possible log format:QUESTION YOUR ARE INVESTIGATING: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Data base(e.g. ERIC,Psych_info, govdocs, etc.)Search terms (* remember tospecify if searched in key,author, abstract, descriptor,etc?)APA Article citation ( also, is it peerreviewed?)Type of source(opinion, case study,literature review,empirical research)?What seemed relevant /important? Newquestions?123Written Observations & Questions: - What have you learned about your question when you consider these studies together (e.g. different ways to define motivation, different ways in which research on motivation is applied in schools)? - How are you noticing your question becoming more specific: (i) Who are you interested in focusing on, e.g. particular age group or demographic group?(ii) What about topic interests you? E.g. reward systems for motivating learning? Classroom management? Self-efficacy?(iii) For what purpose? E.g. to identify effective teaching strategies? To examine effects of motivation on learning? To unpack and examine a debate among behaviorists and constructivists about the appropriate use of reinforcers? - What kinds of information are you planning on looking for next? How is it relevant to your