BIBLIOGRAPHY-PATHFINDER ASSIGNMENT

Due Date: May 16, 2000

Introduction:

• Write your research question and a brief description of your topic: approximately 1-5 paragraphs (no more than 2 pages). You may explain why or how you selected the topic.
• The description should include at least one documented piece of information from one of your cited sources. Parenthetical documentation should be used to document the source. (For an explanation and examples of parenthetical documentation, see http://www.clackamas.cc.or.us/library/mla.htm#cite )

Bibliography:

Find 20 sources that you might use to do research for a term paper on a topic of your choice and arrange them in MLA bibliographic format. (If you have a particular reason for using a bibliographic format other than MLA, please contact the instructor.)

Minimum requirements for different types of sources to include within the total of 20:

• At least 2 of the sources should be books.
• At least 6 of the sources should be magazine or journal articles (more scholarly journals are preferred, but this will depend on the topic.)
• At least 1 source should be an article from an encyclopedia or other reference source.
• At least 1 source should be a newspaper article.
• At least 3 sources should be information on your topic found on the Internet. If possible, try to include at least 1 site with audio.
• Include a citation for at least 1 book review article that reviews a book in your bibliography.
• Include annotations for at least 3 sources. Extra credit for more than 3 annotations. (Include any annotations immediately following the citation for that source in the bibliography.)
• Optional: 1 e-mail discussion group may be included (not required)

Pathfinder:

• List subject headings from the LC Subject Headings that are related to your topic.
• Include a general search worksheet for your research question.
• For each of the following databases or print reference tools, complete a pathfinder worksheet, i.e. list the the subject heading(s) or search terms (include fields, if used) used to find books or articles related to your topic and the number of records found for each search:
  • any encyclopedia (online or print), e.g., Britannica
  • at least one Infotrac database (e.g., Academic ASAP)
  • at least one newspaper index or database (e.g. Proquest Direct databases or SFGate)
  • at least one (preferably several) of the following subject periodical databases:
    • WilsonWeb OmniFile Fulltext Mega, ABI/Inform, BIOSIS, ERIC, PsycInfo, PAIS, Medline or other scholarly periodical databases (from the Web or Dialog).
  • PLS WebPAC catalog
  • InvestiGator (SFSU) online catalog and/or Melvyl (UC) online catalog
  • at least one Lexis/Nexis (online) file or one Dialog (online) database
  • at least one World Wide Web selective directory (e.g. Librarians' Index to the Internet, InfoMine, Scout Report Signpost, etc.)
  • at least one World Wide Web search engine (e.g. NorthernLight, AltaVista, InfoSeek, HotBot, etc.)
  • at least one subject-specific World Wide Web database (see Databases on the Web)
  • optional: one index to e-mail discussion groups

Click here to see Final Project Guidelines for details on how to complete this assignment

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These materials may be used for educational purposes if you inform and credit the author and cite the source as: LSCI 105 Online Research. All commercial rights are reserved. To contact the author, send comments or suggestions to: Eric Brenner at brenner@smcccd.cc.ca.us