Rationale Behind Foundations of Learning

This chapter deals with the closely related topics of research and sources. Students are given the "5 W's": Who, What, Where, When, and Why as an initial introduction to the most basic way of thinking about research. Further discussion is offered, elaborating on the utility of research, a topic students revisit in one of the chapter exercises (Critical Reflection: Researching). Primary and secondary sources are defined, giving students basic exposure to this aspect of research and sources. The discussion then shifts to internet sources and students are given information about how to read and understand URLs (Uniform Resource Locators). The concept of source credibility is first introduced in this context. Students then use the Internet Source Credibility Scoring Tool as a way to further examine the credibility of online sources. The chapter then examines the issue of sources and research in light of academic honesty; Activity 10.1 focuses specifically on this topic. The chapter closes with a discussion about appropriate documentation of sources as a result of research, and offers information about some of the most common documentation styles (MLA and APA).

Activity 10.1: Academic Honesty	In-class: Full Activity or Orientation Only	May span multiple class meetings
This activity sensitizes students not only to the topic/idea of academic honesty, but requires them to become familiar with the specifics policies at their educational institution. They are prompted to review this chapter, to read the school's statement (either in the Student Handbook or online) and to answer the Critical Thinking Questions in preparation for a potential class discussion about academic honesty. In preparing for this activity, be sure you are familiar with the official policy, as it will be the basis upon which you assess or evaluate students answers to the Critical Thinking Questions. If you choose to hold an in-class or online discussion about academic honesty, you should be prepared to clarify portions of the school's official statement in light of specific questions students may have. The Exploration portion of this activity is optional but gives the instructor the option of assigning a short paper about various aspects of academic honesty: #1 not being properly credited, #2 using freely available information from the web without offering credit, and #3 synopsizing the school's official policy on academic honesty. Critical Thinking Questions What is meant by academic honesty? What is plagiarism? While specific definitions may be offered as part of the school's statement, more general definitions are: academic honesty: codes or policies which prohibit cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of dishonest behavior plagiarism: to use another’s work, writing, research, etc., without crediting the source What are four important policies at your school involving academic honesty? You might also want to check the syllabus for each of your courses or for each individual instructor’s policy as it relates to the school’s policies. How is your school’s reputation linked to the ethics and behaviors of its students? A school's reputation is largely based upon the quality of education its students receive. If students behave unethically or poorly, not only does that cast doubt upon the quality of the education they have received, but students who cheat or commit plagiarism have actually avoided learning, making it appear that the school is incapable of educating students. What kind of plagiarism-detection program does your school have to detect plagiarism in students’ work? What are the similarities between using someone else’s work without a citation and copying other work done by someone else? How do you feel about using someone else’s lyrics, music, or art, for example, without permission? (You might also want to discuss various kinds of file sharing versus plagiarism.) While different ethical stances are certainly possible in light of the high-level debates concerning copyrights and 'fair use,' it is critical that students understand that while in school, there are official policies in place that they must follow, or run the risk of losing not only their reputation and credits, but the right to attend the institution. This goes beyond simple plagiarism and includes things like peer-to-peer file sharing and illegal downloads. This is a fruitful topic for discussion but facilitators should be prepared for students who feel very strongly that things like music and books (the results of artistic labors) should be freely available. Do you have any issues or concerns you would like to discuss about teamwork and academic honesty? If so, describe them.
Activity 10.2 Team Research Plan	In-class: Full Activity or Orientation Only	May span multiple class meetings
This is a fairly complex activity and will require students to work in teams of 4 or 5 students. Students will require at least an hour of team together time to complete all steps in the Plan. Be sure that students understand that they are not actually required to do the research, but must think through how the research will be assigned, carried out (including any special considerations of the research), and tied together for a presentation. Each team should be required to submit a research plan which should be assessed (either by the instructor or another team) or evaluated/graded (by the instructor). It would be appropriate to require each team to present their research plan and for each team member to explain what research they would theoretically carry out (including what sources they might use and what kind of documentation might be required). Though this is not part of the formal activity, instructors who are interested in doing so should feel free to require this presentation of students. Be sure to give them advance notice and time to prepare.

Ch 10 Finding and Working with Sources	Concepts	Processes	Tools	Context	Way of Being
	5 W’s	Evaluating quality of sources	Internet source credibility tool	Lindsey’s story	Critical thinker
	Academic honesty-plagiarism	Planning for a research project (MATC tips)	MLA & APA—paper and electronic sources	academic honesty statement	Evaluator
	Primary and secondary sources	Documenting sources		Team research planning project
	Citation styles