Defining your topic
Weighting: This assignment is worth 25% of the total mark for the course
Due date: This assignment is due in week 5
Important note:
This assignment has 3 Tasks. Please complete all 3 Tasks. You will have to:
1. Redefine one of the broad topics from the list that is relevant to your area of study into
a specific narrowed topic.
2. Identify a range of places (e.g., libraries) and/or collections (e.g., EBSCOhost) where you
can find relevant information resources about your redefined topic, and identify the
different formats of information resources you can find in these places or collections.
3. Write a critical reflection on what you did in the first two tasks.
Task 1: Redefine broad topic (making the topic specific)
In this task you will redefine a broader topic into a specific narrowed topic with a particular
focus, using a Question and Answer process until the topic is no longer vague or ambiguous.
You will use this topic as the basis for searching in Assignment 2, and for an article that you
write for Assignment 3.
Task 1 Part 1 – Your area of study and chosen topic
Start the task by writing the programme you are enrolled in and your specific area of study.
For example: I am enrolled in a Level 5 Diploma in Information and Library Studies.
Then write the topic you have chosen (from the list of broad topics) to redefine. For
example: My chosen topic is Libraries and biculturalism
Task 1 Part 2 – Redefining the topic
Using a series of questions and answers, redefine the broad topic into a narrower focus.
Tips:
o Use about 10 questions and answers in total.
o Use the techniques you practiced in the Imogen and the Olympic Games example in
Activity 1, and lay out the questions and answers clearly, as shown in the Module 2
examples.
o Use a range of questions, including a where question and a when question, to focus
your topic.
o Describe the audience that your article will be written for. For example, a community
group, or a management team, or parents with young children, etc.
o Remember that you will write an article in Assignment 3 on the topic you are
redefining here, so look at what is required for Assignment 3 now. Make sure you
include questions that include the format and length of the article, and when it is due.
o Include a question that allows you to list the places or collections that you think you
will find information for the assignment. You will identify these in Task 2 Part 1.
(No word limit for this part of the Task)
Task 1 Part 3 – Redefined topic summary
In 80 words or less, write a redefined topic statement that clearly summarises all the elements
in your questions and answers above. Follow the Module 2 examples.
Tips:
This redefined topic is what you will be writing an article about in Assignment 3. Your
80 word redefined topic statement should include:
o What your topic is about.
o The intended audience.
o The length and format of the piece you will write in Assignment 3 about your topic.
o The date the final article is due.
o Where you will search for information about your topic.
(Word limit 80 words or less)
Task 2: Identify places or collections, and formats of information
In this Task you will make decisions about where you will look for information, and what
formats of information might be the most useful to you, and you will give some reasons to
support those decisions.
Task 2 Part 1 – Places or collections
Look at your new, refocused topic. Where do you think you will find the best information
about this topic, to help you write your article in Assignment 3?
a) Choose one library that you think will have good books on your topic, and name it (for
example the Open Polytechnic Library, or Christchurch City Libraries). Give 3 reasons why
you think this is a good library to choose.
b) Choose one academic database that you think will have good articles on your topic (for
example EBSCOhost, or Emerald). Give three reasons why you think this academic database
is a good one to choose.
c) You will also be searching the World Wide Web. Give 3 reasons why you think you will
find useful information for your topic on the Web.
Task 2 Part 2 – Formats of information
a) Your chosen library will hold books (printed books and ebooks), and other formats of
information too. Name 3 other formats of information that are not books which you might
find in your chosen library.
b) You will be searching for books in this library (this includes printed books and ebooks).
Think about the format “book”. List three strengths of books as a format. Now list two
weaknesses of books as a format.
c) Your chosen academic database will hold articles, and other formats of information too.
Name 3 different types of articles that you will find in your chosen academic database. Which
type of article do you think will be most useful to you?
d) You will be searching for full-text articles in this academic database. Think about the type
of article you identified as being the most useful. List three strengths of this type of article as
a format. Now list two weaknesses of this type of article as a format.
e) You will be searching the World Wide Web. Name three different formats of information
(other than ebooks and articles) that you will find on the Web. Which of these do you think
will be the most useful to you?
f) Think about the most useful format you identified from the Web. List three strengths of
this format. Now list two weaknesses of this format.
Tip:
o look at Section 2.3 of the course material for a discussion of different formats of information.
We encourage you to read beyond the course material to discover more about the different
formats of information you are choosing.
(The word limit for the whole of Task 2 is 400 words +/- 10%)
Task 3: Reflect on your experience of redefining a topic
Think about your experience in redefining a topic. Think also about the procedures you
considered to identify the various places or collections. Then use the following guidelines to
reflect on the whole process:
a) What was your initial reaction to the process of using the Questions and Answers process?
Did you find the process useful, or confusing in some way? Have you used a similar process
anywhere else in your life? Do you think it will be a useful technique to use in the future?
b) Before using this process, did you already have some knowledge of the topic? How much
background reading did you have to undertake in order to clarify the topic? What sources of
information did you use for your searching and what information resources did you find?
How did they help? Was it difficult to choose the best places or collections to use?
c) Did you use any other techniques to help you in the refining process of your topic? For
instance, did you discuss the topic with other people such as family members at home, friends
at work, etc., to get more ideas?