COURSE OBJECTIVES:

When you have completed this course you should be able to: 

1. Identify and use major sources of library information, including data-bases of full-text academic and journalistic publications;

2. Understand the distinctive features of the different major kinds of information source, in particular scientific and journalistic sources;

3. Evaluate the credibility, authenticity and usefulness of newspaper, periodical, journal, book and internet sources;

4. Undertake and report a disciplined information search, as the first stage towards generating new or original knowledge;

5. Understand and apply major publishing conventions of the American Psychological Association;

6. Plan, schedule, conduct, and critique information-gathering interviews for different purposes;

7. Identify the major different methodologies employed in communication research.

Structure of the Course: 

There are three main parts to the course: 

(1) gathering information from mainstream media and academic sources;

(2) the interview as information-gathering tool;

(3) the development of knowledge through formal research.