MDSC 508 Journal Club The Honours Thesis and the Librarys Role

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MDSC 508 Journal ClubThe Honours Thesis and the
Librarys Role

• Session Presenter Marcus Vaska
• September 11, 2009

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Welcome to the Library!Under Construction, Open
for Business
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A Librarians Role

• To guide and assist with literature searches for
  honours theses (provide search tips, suggestions,
  resources)
• To teach and provide support for web-based
  reference management software tools (i.e.
  RefWorks), to successfully integrate research
  with bibliographic citation practices.

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Peer-Reviewed Journals

• Scholarly periodical each article submitted for
  publication is judged, independently, by a panel
  of experts
• Characteristics of a peer-reviewed journal
• Formal
• Cited sources (footnotes and/or a bibliography)
• Authored by scholars and researchers
• Purpose of article is to publish results of
  research
• Publisher is a prominent organization or research
  institution
• Scholarly Journals, Trade Publications, and
  Popular Magazineshttp//training.proquest.com/trc
  /training/en/peervsscholarly.pdf

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Critical Reading

• Preview text to consider preliminary questions
• Read and annotate text
• Summarize what has been read (jot down ideas and
  questions)
• Analyze text
• Reread text, check your understanding

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Reading a Scientific Paper vs. a Medical Journal
Article

• Scientific Paper Medical Journal

• Active vs. passive reading
• Question what the author is stating
• Evaluate article
• What is the evidence?
• What questions are being addressed?
• Does the data support the conclusions?

• Was there a good comparison group?
• Was there a plan?
• Who knew what when?
• Who was left out?
• How much did things change?

• Scientists Who Can Translate Complex Ideas to a
  Lay Audience Include
• Brian Greene (contemporary physics)
• Stephen Hawking (theoretical physicist applied
  mathematician)
• David Suzuki (environmental activist)

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Reading Summarizing Scholarly Articles

• Articles follow a structure
• Do not quote excessively
• Look up unknown words (dont just blindly use
  them in a summary)
• Give short overview
• Own summary own position!
• Guideline 20 page article 2 page summary

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Article Summary Tips

• Develop a rationale
• Select an appropriate article (peer-reviewed)
  that corresponds to the required discipline
• Read the article completely!
• Write a summary (in your own words!)
• Proofread, print, submit summary, and be prepared
  for receiving feedback

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Giving Effective Presentations

• Talk at your audiences level
• Practice!
• Be brief, do not go over your allotted time
• 101 Tips for Effective Presentations (please see
  handout)
• Effective Presentations (designing and
  delivering) http//www.kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/ef
  fective.html

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The End

• This concludes todays session. If you have any
  further questions, please do not hesitate to
  contact me. Thank you!
• Marcus Vaska
• E-mail mmvaska_at_ucalgary.ca
• Phone [phone]