Information Literacy: TEKS to ACRL: Makes a Research Plan

Decide what sources or people in the classroom, school, library, or home can answer [the research] questions, with adult assistance (K.19B)

Decide what sources of information might be relevant to answer the [research] questions [with adult assistance] (1.23B, 2.24B)

Formulate a plan for engaging in research on a complex, multi-faceted topic. (English 1,2: 20B)

Formulate a plan for engaging in in-depth research on a complex, multi-faceted topic. (English 3,4: 20B)

Implements problem-solving methods using critical-thinking skills to plan, implement, manage, and evaluate projects; solve problems; and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. (Tech Apps,  3)

Demonstrate appropriate project management to create a plan for a media project such as a storyboard, stage development, and identification of equipment and resources. (Tech Apps, 6Bi)

Design and implement procedures to track trends, set timelines, and evaluate products. (Tech Apps, 2E)

Design and implement procedures to track trends, set timelines, and review and evaluate progress for project completion. (Tech Apps, 7B)

Generate a research plan for gathering relevant information about the major research question (3.25B, 4.23B, 5.23B)

Determines the availability of needed information and makes decisions on broadening the information seeking process beyond local resources (e.g. interlibrary loan; using resources at other locations; obtaining images, videos, text, or sound) (1.3a)

Defines a realistic overall plan and timeline to acquire the needed information (1.3c)

Develops a research plan appropriate to the investigative method. (2.2a)

Ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them (22)

Generate a research plan for gathering relevant information about the major research question (6.22B)

Apply steps for obtaining and evaluating information from a wide variety of sources and create a written plan after preliminary research in reference works and additional text searches. (7.22B, 8.22B)

Create a research plan to guide inquiry (MS Tech Apps, 3A)

This is appropriate for a first-term freshman paper in an introductory freshman-seminar type class. Time management is typically a major problem for freshmen, so a specific assignment with due date and significant grade is helpful.

We will visit the library at least twice so that you can learn to find and use scholarly resources. The sources for your paper must include:

• One article from a scholarly subject-specific encyclopedia. This will give you an overview of your topic.
• One book on your topic. You may use one chapter from the book or one essay in a book of collected essays. The book must be from the library collection. If appropriate to your topic, the book may be a government document.
• One documentary film from one of the library's streaming video databases.
• One additional source, which may be an encyclopedia article, book, or film.

All required sources must be from the UTEP Library. Other sources are acceptable, but they are additional and do not take the place of your required sources.

First Due Date: Preliminary thesis statement and four required sources must be presented in class in a PowerPoint presentation in the week after mid-term. You don't need to have read all the material for this presentation, but you must have found all your sources, know why you're using them, and have correct citations for them. (This counts as 30% of your grade for your research paper.)