SC 3100:03 MANAGING SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION 1999
This unit introduces science students to the techniques of retrieving,
managing and presenting scholarly and professional information.
It will provide students with transferable research and communication
skills to assist with information management in their future study
and professional development.
Introduction to research techniques, sources of information, surveying
the field of study, introduction to writing research funding documents,
bibliographic data management, verbal and visual communication
of scientific information, and conference presentation skills.
NOTE: only IBM format is supported in SC3100. Assignments and
presentations will be submitted/executed on IBM equipment.
TEACHING STAFF
| Lecturers: | ||||
| Kathy Fowler | Jamie Seymour | |||
| Room: | Library A1 | Room A2 208 | ||
| Phone: | 4042-1034 | 4042-1229 | ||
| Email: | lbkjf@jcu.edu.au | jamie.seymour@jcu.edu.au | ||
| External Consultant: | ||||
| Brian Fowler | ||||
| Phone: | 4039-1228 | |||
| Email: | fowlerbr@ozemail.com.au |
RECOMMENDED TEXTS:
Lindsay, D.R. 1995, A guide to scientific writing, 2nd edn, Longman, Melbourne.
JCU BOOKSHOP
also
JCU CAIRNS RESERVE BOOK 808.066 LIN 1995
REFERENCE TEXTS
Cleveland, W. S. 1994, The elements of graphing data, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J.
JCU CAIRNS RESERVE BOOK 511.5 CLE
Li, X. Crane, N. B. 1996, Electronic styles: a handbook for citing electronic information, Information Today Inc, Medford, N.J.
JCU CAIRNS REFERENCE BOOK 808.02 LI 1996
Orna, E. & Stevens, G. Managing information for research, Open University Press, Buckingham, Philadelphia.
JCU CAIRNS RESERVE BOOK 001.4 ORN
Reynolds, L. & Simmonds, D. 1981,The presentation of data in science, Nijhoff, The Hague.
JCU CAIRNS RESERVE BOOK 507.8 REY
Style manual for authors, editors and printers, 5th edn, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
JCU CAIRNS REFERENCE BOOK 808.02 STY 1994
COURSE ATTENDANCE
The course is a combination of lecture/practical sessions. Where
the material warrants immediate execution, lecture and practice
will be interspersed throughout the 4 scheduled hours of attendance.
ASSESSMENT
The assessable components of this unit are:
| Assessment | Date Due | |
| Five minute presentation | Week 3 Friday 5 pm | |
| 2 Formatted Procite bibliographies | Week 7 Friday 5 pm | |
| Research proposal
Defence of proposal |
| Week 9 Friday 5 pm
Week 13 |
| Managing large documents assignment |
Week 10 Friday 5 pm | |
| Graphical presentation
assignment |
Week 11 Friday 5 pm | |
| Seminar presentation | Week 12 Friday 5 pm |
EXAMINATION
There will be no examination for SC3100.
PLAGIARISM POLICY
Plagiarism Plagiarism is defined as "(1) the appropriation or imitation of another's ideas and manner of expressing them, as in art, literature, etc., to be passe d off as one's own; (2) something appropriated and passed off as one's own in this manner." (The Macquarie Dictionary, 1981). Specifically, in the context of this policy, plagiarism involves passing off as one's own assessment items, work which contains unacknowledged thoughts, writing, inventions and such from any source, including the literature and work of other students. Assessment items which contain unacknowledged phrases, sentences and/or paragraphs found in another text, including the assessable items submitted by other students, is plagiarism. In the event of assessable items being submitted which are identical or very similar in part or whole, all parties involved may be liable to be penalised. Assessment items suspected of being plagiarised will be held by the Lecturer-in-Charge (Dr Jamie Seymour). Students will be advised of suspected plagiarism in writing by the Lecturer-in-Charge, along with advice as to whom they should contact regarding discussion of the issue and appeal procedures. Plagiarism may lead to one or more of the following penalties for all offending parties, including peers, involved: - automatic failure of the assessable activity; and/or - loss of all existing credit for the subject; and/or - the grade of failure for the subject; and/or - disciplinary action by the Dean; and/or - expulsion from the program.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Some classes will be held in seminar rooms. Students will be
notified in email and in the class prior to the moved session
as to where the moved sessions will be held.
|
| ||
| Introduction
Defining the topic Discussion on 5 min presentation-work on own presentation Room A2.018 | Finding Resources
Other sources; Tropicat - subject headings Controlled Vocabulary Indexes-general principles ftping bibliographies Room A2.018 | Managing information for research, chapter 2-4 | |
| Using the WWW for research: subject catalogues, annotated directories, searchable indexes, multi-threaded search tools
Room A2.018 | Presentations to be videoed
Room A1.126-127 | Basing reference service on scientific communication by
L. Ackerson (reserve photocopy) | |
| Research proposal-4 hours
Room A4.003 (Thursday) Room A2.008 (Friday) | |||
| The Literature Review, Keeping up with the literature
Current Contents, Dialog, Uncover, Searchbank Harvard Citation Style-Online citation Room A2.018 | Recommended: Why don't people listen, Mackay, H. chapter 1-2 (reserve private copy) | ||
| Procite and physical management of resources:
Procite: inputting and structure GOOD FRIDAY OFF 2/4/99 Procite: Export and formatting Modifying workforms Modifying output styles Alternate Lists Cite while you write Work on Procite bibliography Room A2.018 | Recommended: Why don't people listen, Mackay, H. chapter 3-4 | ||
| Seminars-the good, the bad and the ugly
Room A4.130 (Thursday) A2.008 (Friday) | Analysis of 5 min presentations | ||
| Working with large documents in Word:
Working with Document Masters Applying styles Creating templates Inserting references from Procite Generating Tables of Contents, Illustrations and Tables Room A2.018 | Supporting your ideas E. Lucas
Speaking to inform E. Lucas Beginning and ending the speech E. Lucas Practising what we preach Ross & Morrsion | ||
| Producing publication quality figures using SPSS
Room A2.018 | Preparing maps, figures and tables I. Hay (reserve photocopy) | ||
| Communication skills
Verbal presentation skills Room A2.018 | Media Selection
Preparing for Conferences Room A2.018 | Words about media selection by F. Cartier, Media comparison and deployment by J. Koumi,
New media literacy by W. Horton , Packing your brain by A Wegman (all reserve photocopies) | |
| Powerpoint
Room A2.018 | Recommended: Why don't people listen, Mackay, H. chapter 5 | ||
| Defence of proposals
Room CRC Conference room | |||
| Seminar presentations
Room A4.003 | Seminar presentations
Room A2.008 | ||
ASSESSMENT DETAILS One 5 Minute presentation Each person will prepare a verbal presentation on any subject. It should have:
This will take place during the scheduled tutorial session in Week 2 and will be videotaped for subsequent discussion (Week 7). Two Formatted PROCITE Bibliographies The first bibliography relates to the research proposal and should contain at least 20 entries from at least 5 different sources, including (required) a set of imported records from Tropicat-and examples from other sources such as Current Contents, Searchbank, Firstsearch, Uncover, CAB, references obtained from personal communications, references obtained from World Wide Web searches, and from any other CD-ROM or electronic databases subscribed to by the library such as Heritage, New Scientist, Austrom, and Agriculture and Resources. It is to be formatted in Harvard style. Source from which each entry was retrieved is to be displayed by printing it in the notes field. The database, printed bibliography and all required lists will be submitted. The second bibliography will be produced from a given list of records and conform to the bibliographic output style specified. The bibliography must demonstrate manipulation of database structure and output style, and use of alternate lists. The database, printed bibliography and all required lists will be submitted. Both are due 5 pm Friday Week 7 Research Proposal/Defence of Proposal Use the James Cook University Merit Research Grants Scheme 1999 Advice & Instructions to Authors and Merit Research Grand ARC Small Grant Application for Support in 1999 documents mounted on the web for down loading at the SC3100 website and also located in JCU Reserve collection at SC3100 Box to create a research proposal. Due 5 pm Friday Week 9. Students will defend their proposals in front of a panel during Week 13. Word Assignment Students will configure a given text file (with illustrations) to a specified format, utilising a Document Master, Styles and bookmarks. Given references will be inserted in the text, tables of Figures and a Table of Contents will be generated by Word in the document. Due 5 pm Friday Week 10. Graphics Assignment Each students will be given a data set and ask to present it graphically. SPSS graphics package must be used. The assessment is to be handed in as a hard copy as well as an SPSS graphics file. Due Friday 21st May at 5pm. Seminar Presentation The seminar presentation is based on the submitted research proposal. It should contain reference to items from the submitted bibliography. The presentations will take place during the scheduled contact time in Week 12. Order of presentation will be determined by ballot. A copy of the notes and visuals intended for use in the presentation must be submitted by 5pm Friday. Presentations are expected to be of 10 minute duration, containing suitable introduction, body and conclusion, and utilising appropriate visuals and presentation techniques. Presentations will be terminated at 10 minutes (as timed by lecturing staff). A marking guide will be distributed to students for their information. Marking will be conducted in the following manner:
(The final mark from the audience will be averaged).