Gender and Contemporary Society
Resource Reports:
Critical Thinking about Information Resources
Description: During the semester, you will write two Resource Reports, that is, reports on information resources such as books, articles, and web sites. Resource Report 1 is on a reading of your choice from the textbook, Gender Through the Prism of Difference, that is NOT assigned as a class reading; Resource Report 2 will be on a resource that you find in the library on an assigned topic (see below). Your reports should be 2-3 pages typed, double-spaced, or 400-750 words.
Each Resource Report should complete four tasks: it should provide a SUMMARY of the information in the article or other resource, an ANALYSIS of its assumptions and argument, an EVALUATION of its reliability, authority, and intended audience, and a SYNTHESIS of its ideas with other class readings and themes. Here is an example of a Resource Report written for another class.
Purpose: Completing the Resource Reports will help you to become a critical reader and evaluator of the what you read. Resource Report 2 will also help you to become familiar with various information sources available in the library and online and to learn how to use them effectively.
Evaluation: Your reports will be graded on the effectiveness of your summary, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of the resource; argumentation; organization; and usage and mechanics. Resource Report 2 will also be graded on the appropriateness of the resource to the assignment. REPORTS THAT ARRIVE AT ALL LATE WILL BE PENALIZED SUBSTANTIALLY. Report 1 is worth 10% of your grade; Report 2 is worth 15%.
Method, Resource Report 1: Choose one of the readings in Gender Through the Prism of Difference that is NOT assigned in the Daily Syllabus; here is the list from which to choose your article. If you write your Report on an article that is not on this list, you will be required to redo the assignment. Review our class exercises in critical thinking (summary, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis) and apply those techniques to the article you have chosen. Begin your Report with a correct citation of the article following an accepted style (MLA, Chicago, or another). Label the four sections of your Report with the four categories (summary, analysis, etc.). If you are unsure about your ability to complete the assignment successfully, make an appointment with the TA, a grad preceptor, or a consultant in the Women's Studies Writing Center well before the report is due. Report 1 is due Monday, September 16.
Method, Resource Report 2: Your group will be assigned a topic that will be your focus of for Research Report 2 and for your Term Paper. For Report 2, your group should divide up the research tasks, one member responsible for finding a BOOK on your topic, another for a WEB SITE, another for a REFERENCE WORK, and ALL others for SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ARTICLES. Each member of the group will report on a single resource (a book, or an article, etc.). Consult Ruth Dickstein's web site Gender and Contemporary Society: START YOUR RESEARCH HERE! to find your resource.Don't hesitate to ask for help from her or from other librarians if you're having trouble finding something appropriate. If you use a resource that is not appropriate to the assignment (for example, using a popular magazine article instead of a scholarly journal article), you will be required to redo the assignment.