Information Literacyfor the Health Science Student

Lesson 6: Putting Your Research Together

Quality CheckThis lesson reviews what we have learned.

It’s time to double check and make sure that your information is current, factual, and authoritative

Look over the information that you have gathered and ask some questions.•Who wrote it?•Where was it published?•When was it written?•How is the information presented?

Who wrote the article?When looking at a peer-reviewed article you should see the author’s name, professional affiliations and academic credentials.

The information does not always follow the same format. But, the information about an author is important when determining the quality of the research article.

You may want to see if the author has written additional articles on the topic. The author’s name can you lead to important information.

Check the Reference List

A peer-reviewed article will have a listing of cited references.

Always check the references. The list can lead to additional important information.

If you see a reference cited in many articles, consult it. It may be very important to the topic you are exploring.

Looking for RelevancyIn this abstract the author’s purpose, methodology, results and the implications of the paper are clearly stated in the abstract.

This paper explores the origins of evidence-based practice in health sciences librarianship.

Looking for BiasEveryone has his or her particular viewpoint or bias. This is important to note when you are doing research.

Bias is not necessarily a bad thing. However, it is important to recognize bias in your research.

The authors in the Journal of Christian Nursing may have a bias that is reflected in the articles they write.

Checking Up on Bias

Determine bias by assessing: • The publisher’s information.• The author’s affiliations.• Date of publication.

Any of these can help determine the bias.

Sometimes simply reading the title of the publication reveals an author’s partiality.

Currency

Current information is the best!

It’s a good way to think about the information you use in writing your paper.

Use the latest insights for your research.

Be up-to-date!

Can you follow the evidence trail?

When you evaluate your sources it is important to note how the information is presented.

1. The abstract of an article should clearly display aims, background, design and method, results, conclusions, and relevance.

2. Citations should be clearly marked throughout the publication.

3. Conclusions and relevance of the research should be unambiguous.

4. References follow a standard academic format.

Citing Your ResearchYou are expected to follow academic standards in presenting your research.

There are tools available that will assure that you are following these standards.

The tools will help you determine: •How the title page is formatted.•What an introduction looks like.•What is the proper format for the manuscript.•How references are cited.•How you can avoid plagiarism.

Why cite the sources you use for your papers?

Whether you are in a class or preparing to publish, you are expected to consult the research of others, and to bring together their ideas and yours in such a way that makes sense to you and your readers.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

All academic research, no matter the discipline, is built upon verifiable evidence.

Your paper is built upon the work of other researchers.

Properly citing your resources acknowledges that your opinion is based upon authoritative and verifiable evidence produced by researchers who are experts in their field.

FormatIn your classes and in the your professional life there are expectations regarding the format style of research papers.

University courses use different style guides for formatting and citing resources.

The different style guides represent the scholarly needs of an academic discipline.

APA StyleThe Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) is recognized as a standard for papers written in the sciences

It is not the only style used in the sciences. Check with your publisher of professor regarding the style you should use.

This manual is found in most college libraries.

It can be found in the campus bookstore and through most book retailers.

Check http://www.apastyle.org/ for more information.

The Chicago Manual of StyleThe publication manual of The Chicago Manual of Style is recognized as the standard for papers written in a variety of academic disciplines.

The Chicago Manual of Style is found in your college library.

It can be found in the campus bookstore and through most book retailers.

Check http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/ for more information.

A widely used manual of style for the health sciences is the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors.

It can be purchased in the campus bookstore and through most book retailers.

Check http://www.amamanualofstyle.com/ for more information.

AMA Style

Great Online Help!Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a great resource that can help you format your paper.

The site offer sample papers using the major format style that will help you step-by-step as you write.

Check out the site at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/

Tools to Assist You

Eastern University students also have access citation management tools.

There is a website dedicated to instructing you how to use RefWorks. This can be found at http://libguides.eastern.edu/refworks

Next we will discuss academic honesty.

Do the student activity for this lesson. After that proceed to the next lesson.

Revised Thursday, February 12, 15.