"Research Refresher:" Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Designed for PWR 2 students returning to research for the first time since PWR 1, this activity asks students to hunt for a diversity of sources and align them with the source types defined in Joseph Bizup's "BEAM" framework.
Author: Angela Becerra Vidergar
Activity brief description: For this activity, students get into groups of three to work together and find a set of sources that align with Joseph Bizup's "BEAM" framework. What this means is that students work together to hunt down a few examples of "Background," "Exhibit," "Argument," and "Method"-based sources. Students are directed to Stanford's Searchworks website to find these sources and are instructed to find sources that may be applicable for their research projects. In order to ensure that students collaborate, the activity includes explicit instructions on rotating between the group members' project ideas to ensure that each group member walks away from the activity with at least one source that may be usable for their final research-based argument.
Course: PWR 2 (though could be adapted for PWR 1)
Activity Length & Schedule: ~30-45 minutes of class time, should occur before students turn in the Research Proposal
Activity goals: Through this assignment, students will
- Refresh their knowledge on research practices
- Learn about how to use Stanford's library resources
- Apply an understanding of Bizup's "BEAM" framework to research practices
- Collaborate with their peers in understanding the research process
Activity details:
See handout.