Reading - Academic Reading



Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Contrast the content and validity of peer- and non-peer-reviewed sources of information.
  • Contrast the usefulness of peer- and non-peer-reviewed sources of information.

Teaching

This assignment will put you in touch with the field of literature associated with the study of Sociology. By "literature" we mean the writings of other Sociologists and related disciplines that define the scope and knowledge base of the field of Sociology.

This literature is published in specialized magazines we refer to as "journals". These specific writings distinguish themselves from other types of writing in that they are written in compliance with accepted scientific standards defined by the field and are subjected to review by other sociologists prior to publication...this is why they are referred to as "peer reviewed".

While some of these sources may be available on the web, many are only available through specialized subscriptions to these journals. The target audience is other Sociologists, not the public, and not YOU the beginning student of Sociology. So, when you read them they may come across as rather technical...keep in mind, they were written for other professionals in the field.

You are to do the following:

  • Identify an interesting topic in your textbook and/or from class materials. Click HERE for a list of excellent topics.
  • Article 1: Peer Reviewed
    • Review the procedures to access the KVCC online library resources (Click HERE to access a tutorial on how to do that)
    • Search Academic Search Premier data base for articles related to your topic. Be sure you select the option to only search for peer reviewed articles.
    • Click HERE for a list of Sociology Related journal titles that might help you narrow your search.
    • Find ONE article published in a Peer Reviewed Journal on your topic.
  • Article 2: Non Peer Reviewed
    • You can use the same method above to find a regular magazine or newspaper article on the same topic. Simply don't select the peer reviewed option
    • You can also search on the web to find a reliable website on the topic.
    • This newspaper, magazine, or website article will be your second article for this assignment.
  • I'm asking you to write a paper comparing and contrasting these two articles.
  • Write your paper in accordance to the rubric below.
  • Write the paper in sections, with bold headings for each component of the paper outlined in the rubric below. In essense, have a section called "Summary of Sources" another called "Comprehension", etc. etc.
  • Submit your paper to the appropriate drop box.

Click here to view a page of potential Sociology-related journals that you can search at the KVCC Library


Grading Rubric

The following criteria will be used to evaluate and grade your submission: