In this final assignment you will have opportunity to critique existing studies, identify trends within the field, and reflect on the future of information behavior research and its impact on your personal information habits. This assignment aims to foster critical thinking, enhance your research skills, and encourage self-reflection.
The essay should be structured as follows and encompass 5-7 pages:
Introduction to Information Behavior Research (1 page):
Define information behavior and its importance in the information science field.
Discuss the significance of studying information behavior and its impact on various sectors (e.g., education, business, healthcare).
Present the purpose and structure of your essay.
Literature Review of five Information Behavior Articles (2 pages):
Using the five articles from your Annotated Bibliography:
Summarize each article from an information behavior perspective, focusing on the research questions, methodologies, findings, and conclusions.
Ensure to provide proper citations and references for each article.
Critique of the Reviewed Articles (1 page):
Critically analyze the methodologies, findings, and arguments presented in each article.
Discuss the strengths and limitations of each study.
Evaluate the contributions of each study to the field of information behavior.
Trend Analysis of the five Articles (1 page):
Identify and discuss any emerging themes, patterns, or trends across the five studies.
Reflect on how these trends contribute to the understanding of information behavior and its applications.
The Future of Information Behavior Research (1 page):
Based on your literature review and trend analysis, speculate on the future directions of information behavior research.
Discuss potential new areas of study, methodologies, or theoretical approaches that could advance the field.
Personal Reflection on Information Behavior Trends (0.5-1 page):
Reflect on how your own information-seeking behavior has evolved since taking this course.
Discuss any new strategies or approaches to information seeking you have adopted based on what you have learned.
Overall Reflection and Application (0.5-1 page):
Reflect on the main insights you have gained from this assignment and the course overall.
Discuss how you can apply these insights to your future academic, professional, or personal life.
Formatting and Submission Guidelines:
The essay should be typed, double-spaced, and formatted according to APA guidelines.
Include a title page and a reference page (these do not count towards the page limit).
Use proper citations throughout the essay.
Submit the completed assignment.
Evaluation Criteria:
The essay will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Clarity and depth of content covered in each section. Did you address the prompts provided?
Effectiveness of the critiques and the trend analysis.
Relevance and insightfulness of future research directions and personal reflections.
Proper sentence structure, no spelling or grammatical errors.
Clear flow of ideas that match the description and purpose of the assignment.
Proper use of APA format for in-text citations and reference page.
