Information X-Games

Library Research IS an Action Sport

Experience the Xtreme Library with Coach Amaral

So limber up those fingers, stretch the brain cells, grab a drink (it’s
important to stay hydrated during the hours of intense research
ahead), and get ready to dive in.

In preparation for the upcoming Environmental Studies Doctoral

Intensive, we have two 21st Century Xtreme Library challenges for
you as part of this summer’s Information X-Games:

Challenge 1: Build Your Search Muscles

Challenge 2: Get to Know Your Faculty

In each of these challenges, points are awarded for tasks completed,

with a total of 75 points possible between the two challenges. And
there are prizes . . .

In support of scholarship being a collaborative process your entire

cohort will earn an Xtreme Research Award, if your team average is
above 80% (60 points and up). To help you toward this end, please
use the Discussion Forum in our Sakai course folder called, “X-Games
- Library Research Knowledge Sharing” to share your process for solving these
challenges (not the answers themselves).

Your coach, Jean Amaral, Environmental Studies Information

Wrangler, is available for training consultations by IM, email, phone,
or face-to-face.

Get Xtreme!
 Information X-Games
Challenge 1
Build your search muscles.
Find faster, think harder, write farther, climb higher.
Total possible points / student = 50

In completing the activities below, you'll become familiar with the AUNE library
website and some of the library resources that you'll be using weekly, if not daily,
in your scholarly career here and beyond. The information and tools you need to
complete these tasks are available on the library's website (most are linked in the
left-hand menu). Jean Amaral, Environmental Studies Librarian, is your coach for
these Info X-Games, so you can contact her at any time for advice, techniques,
tips, etc. And we encourage you to do so, especially if you’re new to 21st century
Xtreme libraries.

By 11:59 p.m. ET on the Monday before the first class, upload to your Sakai
Drop Box: 1) your answers to the questions below, 2) articles required for 3 and
4 below, and 3) a bibliography in APA format (produced using a citation
manager) of documents you find doing the exercises. In the first class meeting,
be ready to talk about challenges you encountered and what you learned during
the process. Submit your answers to your Drop Box. Title your subject heading,
“Info X-Games, Challenge 1”.

1. A crucial piece of equipment for the Info X-Games and all of your doctoral
work is a citation manager—guaranteed to save you hours, possibly even
days and weeks, in organizing citations and producing bibliographies.

If you are not currently using a citation management software or application,

install Zotero on your computer. (Note: Zotero is a Firefox plugin, so you will
need to use Firefox as your web browser (it’s a free download if you’re not
already using it); you will need to download both Zotero and its word
processor plugin, each of which takes less than 1 minute.

For Zotero or the citation manager you are using, briefly describe how to add
a citation to it. 10 pts

2. Choose three journals that are important in your field or current research
interest area* and submit your answers to the following questions:

a. Is the journal available in print in the library? If so, what is the date range
of the coverage? 2 pts
b. Is the full-text of the journal available in an online database? If so, what is
the date range of the coverage? 2 pts
 BONUS: If any of the journals are available online, set up journal alerts
(also called table of contents alerts) for them through the database(s) in
which they're available. Briefly describe the process you used to set up the
alert(s). 6 pts

*If you can’t think of three journals, use Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory (a
database available through the AUNE Library) to find others.

3. a. List three databases that are appropriate for your subject/discipline/field. 4 pts
b. Using one of the databases, find three articles that relate to your current
research interests, and add the citations to Zotero or other citation
manager. 4 pts
c. Obtain the full text of each article and upload copies to your Drop Box in
Sakai. Title your subject headings, <Database 1/2/3> 2 pts

4. Obtain a copy of these two articles and upload the PDFs to the Drop Box in
the Sakai course site:

Peterson, L., Tremblay, G., Ewigman, B., & Saldana, L. (2003). Multilevel
selected primary prevention of child maltreatment. Journal of Consulting
and Clinical Psychology, 71(3), 601-612.

Horm-Wingerd, D. M., Caruso, D. A., Gomes-Atwood, S., & Golas, J.

(1997). Head start teaching center: Evaluation of a new approach to head
start staff development. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12(4), 407-
424. 6 pts

Add these citations to Zotero or other citation manager. 2 pts

BONUS: Which author in the second article cited above is now affiliated with
AUNE? 2 pts

5. Identify three books relevant to your research interests and list them here. 4 pts

a. What are the three closest libraries to where you live that own the book? 2 pts
b. Which of the three books, if any, does the AUNE library own? 2 pts
c. Add the citations for the books to Zotero or other citation manager. 2pts
 Information X-Games
Challenge 2
Get to know your faculty.
Total possible points / student = 25
In this round of the Info X-Games, you will get to know some of the AUNE
Environmental Studies faculty, and others, and their research interests, as well
as explore different paradigms and methodologies. Resources for finding
dissertations are available on the AUNE library website. It may also be helpful to
visit the faculty members’ webpages on the AUNE website to learn more about
them and to get information that will aid in your search.

This challenge is due at 11:59 p.m. ET on the Monday before the first class.

1. On Day 2, faculty members Beth Kaplin and Rachel Thiet will be joining the
class. In preparation for their visit, everyone should complete the following
tasks. Three of you will be randomly selected to introduce us.

a. Locate the full text or abstract (when the full text is not available) of
dissertations by Beth, Rachel, and Jimmy. 2 pts
b. Add to your Drop Box with subject heading, “X-Games, Challenge 2” the
answers to the following questions:
 Where did you find the full text or abstract? What is the title of each of
the dissertations? Under which paradigm would you place each
dissertation? Why?
 Summarize the abstract of each dissertation in a couple of sentences.
5 pts
 Remember, you can share your process (not answers) for finding
answers to these questions in Discussion Forums / XGames Library
Research Knowledge Sharing
c. Be prepared to be randomly selected to introduce one of these folks by
highlighting their doctoral research, and the research paradigm from which
you think it is situated.

BONUS: Obtain a copy of Jimmy’s dissertation. How much does it weigh?

3 pts

2. In the list below, each of you is assigned a faculty member whose work you
will research (all dissertations unless stated otherwise).

Michael Simpson (Master’s Project): Theodore Bolak

Tom Wessels (any graduate school research): Phillip Dugger
Becca Hickam (any graduate school research): Dafna Gan
 Joy Ackerman: Anne Keller
Charles Curtin: Elizabeth Oriel
Peter Palmiotto: Robin Ostenfeld
James Jordan: Jason Rhoades
James Gruber: Carolina Saiz
Steven Chase: Erin Seiling
Elizabeth McCann (Libby):
Tania Schusler: Tuul Sukhbaatar
George Tremblay: Apolinaire William
Alesia Maltz: Tamarra Martz
William Griffith: Michelle Olivari
*Jonathan Atwood: (Please let me know if you’re also willing to do John
Atwood.)

For your assigned faculty member:

a. Locate the full text or abstract of the faculty’s work. 2 pts

b. In the Discussion Forums section of the Sakai Course site, go to the
“Faculty Graduate Research” and:
 Post a “new topic” with the faculty member’s name as the subject;
 In the body of the post, identify the title of the work, the paradigm
within which it falls, the methodology used, and the methods used to
carry out the research;
 If available, attach a PDF of the full text of the dissertation to the post; if
the full text is not available, attach a document with the abstract. 10 pts

Note: Some of you will be using this information to introduce faculty members
to your colleagues when the faculty join the class.

BONUS: Obtain your faculty member’s research proposal and attach it to your
post in the Discussion Forums. 3 pts