Foundations of College Reading

Library Research Project

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this assignment is to enhance your schema (body of knowledge) about a topic
and to synthesize the skills you have learned this semester by showing mastery of our Student
Learning Outcomes (SLOs) as delineated in our Course Outline. Specifically, you will show
evidence of proficiency of the skills below.

1. Demonstrate the ability to conduct academic research skills by using the college’s
library databases.
2. Employ a systematic study-reading method and apply reading strategies (such as
activating prior knowledge, previewing, highlighting, and annotating) to comprehend
the researched articles.
3. Use context clues and word part clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words
in the researched articles.
4. Assess and examine written material to identify the topic, main idea, and supporting
details of a paragraph.
5. Develop a response to the research question and support your thesis by referring to
the content of your articles.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Choose one of the following questions that relate to the themes in the textbook. Using the
academic database discussed in class, find two magazine articles to complete this project.

1. Should colleges consider student diversity when recruiting students?

2. Should employers consider diversity when hiring or promoting employees?

3. Has technology had a positive or negative effect on family relationships?

4. Should the media be held responsible for promoting unhealthy body images in adolescents?

5. Should the government provide laws for better regulation of online social networking?

6. Should the medical profession be responsible for misuse of prescription drugs?

7. Should drugs be decriminalized?

8. Does the fear of failure motivate students or hold them back from succeeding in college?

FOCR Library Project 2015 1

 ASSIGNMENT OUTLINE
.

Directions: Preview/Survey both articles. Then carefully read, highlight and annotate
both articles before beginning this assignment.

I. Core Comprehension Skills

A. Choose a total of three (3) paragraphs that contain a topic, main idea, and three (3)
supporting details from either article. If you have difficulty finding paragraphs that
contain three (3) supporting details consult with your professor.
B. Bracket and number these paragraphs in the articles. Include your articles with your
final project.
C. Identify the topic, main idea, and three major supporting details of each of these
paragraphs. You may either use a linear method or a graphic organizer to do this.

II. Vocabulary Development

A. Choose five (5) challenging words from the article.

B. Quote the sentence from the article that contains the word using proper MLA in-line
citation format. Highlight the word that you will be defining.
C. Provide the meaning of the word by using either context clues, word-structure clues, or
dictionary skills. Indicate which methods you used to define the words.
D. Create an original sentence that uses the word and reflects the meaning of the word.

III. Outlining

Choose one of the two articles that you have researched. Write an outline of no more than one
page of the article that includes the topic, thesis, and major details that you will include in
your summary.

IV. Summarizing

Use the outline to write one well-written summary paragraph about this article.

V. Responding to the Topic

Develop a clear, specific thesis statement that answers the research question that you have
chosen. Then, write one well-developed paragraph in which you support your thesis
statement with explanations and evidence that you have learned from your articles. Your
paragraph should contain three supporting details. Be careful to paraphrase the details in
your own words.

VI. Works Cited Page

FOCR Library Project 2015 2
 The last page of your project should contain a list of works cited for the two articles you
have read. Obtain a Citation Format Guide from the library webpage. Follow the format
used for citing electronic sources from the MLA Citation Format Guide.

Attach both articles to your outline.

NOTE: Late papers will be penalized. Due Date: ______________________

FOCR Library Project 2015 3