Social Ecology 195 - Grant                                                                   Julia Gelfand

Field Studies                                                                                         Science Library 228

Spring 2006                                                                                         jgelfand@uci.edu

                                                                                                            949-824-4971

 

In order to successfully complete this course you will have to do several writing assignments.  This handout will serve as a guide containing some hints about how to conduct and incorporate your research in each of the assignments.  It is arranged by assignment.

 

I.                    Supervisor Interview Paper - you will probably want to prepare a list of questions ahead of time to maximize the appointment and make sure you cover everything that is important.  You will also want to consider the following issues:

·        Who is your supervisor - what is his/her title and how long has she/he been with this organization?  Who else are they responsible to supervise?

·        What is their professional background & training?

·        Background of the site/organization/institution - is it a non-profit, for profit, governmental, etc?  Who does it serve?  What is the mission of the organization?

·        Is there a web presence?

·        Why does this organization participate in Field Studies through UCI - how does the organization benefit?

·        What goals do they have for you during this quarter?

 

You may also want to consider some more formal interview questions - and can find some ideas by consulting books in ANTPAC by searching under the following subject headings:

            Interviewing in sociology (or different subject areas, ie law enforcement

            Questionnaires

            Social sciences research

            Surveys

Or in the following databases:  Sociological Abstracts

    Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management

    Google Scholar

 

 

II.                 Goals and Objectives - focused on the Field Study experience what do you hope to achieve - it may reflect your career goals; short vs long term goals.

 

III.               Term Paper with relevant bibliographic references - select your topic so that it reflects this "cumulative experience" that ties together principles of social ecology with the practical fact-finding/applied problem-solving that contextualizes Social Ecology as a discipline.  Once you determine what your focus is going to be, you will want to write an outline of your proposed paper having it reflect your personal interests, the intersection of the field placement within the academic context.  You will want to conduct a literature review and the following resources will be helpful to search:

 

·        Subject Guides for Social Ecology - prepared for each department, they will lead you to subject-based resources, including reference tools, abstract & indexing sources that cover journal articles, reviews, books, book chapters in your appropriate area

·        Quick Reference - online resources to verify information and cite sources properly

·        Specifically how to cite information from different formats - choose your format and practice consistency.

·        Selective Databases - depending on your topic, you should consult any of the following resources: (* denotes on the same CSA platform & can be searched concurrently)

·        Expanded Academic Index

·        PsycINFO*

·        Child Development and Adolescent Studies Abstracts

·        PubMed

·        PAIS International* and the Archive

·        ERIC*

·        Sociological Abstracts*

·        Social Services Abstracts*

·        Criminal Justice Abstracts*

·        National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS)

·        LegalTrac

·        LexisNexis Academic Universe- News section for full-text news; Legal Resources section for law reviews, cases, etc.

·        Business Source Premier

·        Factiva

·        Environment Sciences & Pollution Management*

·        BIOSIS

·        Web of Science - Science Citation Index; Social Sciences Citation Index

 

HINTS:

  1. Do not procrastinate
  2. Try and utilize research from one assignment to be relevant and supportive of other tasks needed to be done for this class
  3. Make the outline for the paper useful so you know your information gaps and can resolve that as you proceed through the quarter
  4. Contextualize paper - what is the purpose?  Consider the goals of your field placement.
  5. Remember to cite accurately and consistently.

 

For additional information: