Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.
Disciplinary Research Project Essay
Based on a 100-point scale
For this assignment, you will learn more about how a distinct discipline you are interested in (either your minor, emphasis pattern, or a field within your emphasis pattern) is studied, researched, and practiced by academic scholars. Please choose from:
• A Discipline within your Emphasis Area (e.g., Area III, Social Sciences— Economics)
• Your Emphasis Pattern (e.g., teacher preparation track—elementary education) or
• Your Minor if you have a minor instead of an emphasis pattern (e.g., your minor is in Psychology, Sociology, etc.)
The goal is to better understand your primary discipline by researching an academic scholar in that discipline.
This assignment requires academic research and familiarizing yourself with the world of academic research to prepare you for LIBS 490, where you will include scholarly research for your culminating project. Your goal is to understand how scholars in your chosen discipline, “view the world.” Before you can integrate disciplinary perspectives, you need to know at least one of the disciplines.
You will write a short essay (minimum two (2) double-spaced pages) in Mircosoft Word only – Not PDF. Papers less than the required length will be deemed unacceptable and will receive zero points. Submit in Blackboard and upload to the ePortfolio; instructions shared later in the course.
Due Date: Friday, February 26, 2021
You will summarize your research on an academic scholar working in = your chosen disciplines= who has taught or is teaching at a reputable college or university. Do not select a scholar who has obtained degrees from universities other than from the U.S.!
BEFORE you write your essay, you will fill out the enclosed worksheets.
You will then write a summary of your findings based on your answers on the worksheet. The worksheet provides a “road map” of sorts for your essay.
2
Worksheet for Disciplinary Research Essay:
Fill in the blanks:
1. My emphasis area is
2. My emphasis pattern/minor is
3. The discipline I am researching is
4. Evident thesis—i.e., why I am interested in this discipline, etc.
5. The scholar who works in the discipline I am research is Answer the following questions:
1. What degrees does the scholar have, and in what?
2. Where and when did the scholar get her/his degree?
3. Where does the scholar teach, and in what department/program/school?
4. What courses does the scholar teach?
5. What is the scholar’s area(s) of scholarly expertise? In what discipline/academic field?
6. What problems does the scholar study? You will find the Answer to this question by researching the scholar’s publications.
7. What has the scholar published? Find, print, and read at least one scholarly article found in an academic database. Be sure to state the following: the article’s title, the journal in which the article is published, and the year the article was published.
8. Be sure to mention what academic database in which you found the article.
9. Identify at least one disciplinary concept based on your reading of the academic article. How does the scholar define the disciplinary concept? The disciplinary perspective needs to be defined from the perspective of the discipline you are researching. If the scholar does not explain the concept, find a scholarly definition of the concept.
10. Identify and briefly (at least three 3 sentences) describe at least one theory mentioned in the scholar’s disciplinary research.
11. Identify and briefly describe in general terms (at least three sentences) one research method the scholar uses. In other words, name the method and answer the question: What is [the research method?]
12. Summarize briefly or describe how the scholar views the problem. Does the scholar use the researched disciplinary lens?
13. Conclude your essay by commenting on how this exercise helped you understand the discipline better.
You will then write an essay that will summarize your research results (the answers to the above questions). You will have to cite correctly using APA style and include a References page (for APA style).
2
Disciplinary Research Essay Evaluation (100 points)
60 points Content:
Introduction and Introductory Material ( 10 points):
◻ My emphasis area is/My emphasis pattern/minor is
◻ The discipline I am researching is
◻ Evident thesis—i.e., why I am interested in this discipline, etc.
Scholar’s Background (10 points):
◻ The scholar who works in the discipline I am researching is
◻ What degrees does the scholar have, and in what?
◻ Where did the scholar get her/his degree?
◻ Where does the scholar teach, and in what department/program/school?
◻ What courses does the scholar teach?
◻ What is the scholar’s area(s) of scholarly expertise? In what discipline/academic field?
◻ What problems does the scholar study? You will find the Answer to this question by researching the scholar’s publications.
◻ What has the scholar published? Be sure to mention the title of the article and the journal-title in which it was published.
◻ Be sure to mention the year the article was published.
◻ Be sure to mention what academic database in which you found the article.
Disciplinary research ( 30 points):
◻ Identify and define at least one disciplinary concept based on your reading of the academic article, scholar’s definition, and/or scholarly definition.
◻ Identify and describe (at least 3 sentences) at least one theory mentioned in the scholar’s disciplinary research
◻ Identify and describe (at least three sentences of one research method the scholar uses. In other words, name the method and answer the question: What is [the research method?]
Conclusion ( 10 points):
◻ How does the scholar view the problem—does the scholar use the researched disciplinary lens?
◻ Conclude your essay by commenting on how this exercise helped you understand the discipline better.
Grammar/Organization/Quality of Writing (20 points): Incorporation of Quotations and Citation Style (20 points):
Quotations:
• Correct/respectful incorporation/acknowledgment of the ideas of others Correct style of quotation
• Correct use of ellipses
• Correct Block Quotation Style
Citation Style:
• Correct Parenthetical Citation Style Correct Placement of Punctuation Correct Spacing
• (if necessary) Correct Reference Page
• APA Style-Format
2
Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.