Use Research to separate fact from fiction.Collecting Pertinent and Relevant Information Leading to an Evidence-Based Solution As you conduct more literature reviews, you will become further adept at quickly identifying journals that focus on a particular theme. You will also become acquainted with the names of authors that are well known within their field of study, as you will see them repeatedly during your research. Popular specialized databases through the library in the field of education to search include ProQuest Education Database, EBSCOhost, ERIC, PsycINFO, and Gale Educator’s Reference Complete. You may also wish to review completed dissertations by using ERIC, NCU Dissertations, and ProQuest Dissertations & Thesis. Web-based search engines other than Google include the following: * Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/ * Rand Corporation: https://www.rand.org/pubs/online/education-and-the-arts.html * US Department of Education: https://www.ed.gov/ E-books can also serve as an excellent source for researchers. Suggested databases include: (a) Credo Reference, (b) Ebrary, (c) SAGE Knowledge While the aforementioned sources are credible, as a researcher, it is important for you to avoid bias and flawed research leading to unsubstantiated claims. Such obstacles can be mitigated through the triangulation of data. To that end, while Wikipedia can be initially used to help you identify authors and keywords to use in your search, it is not considered to be a peer-reviewed, scholarly source. The reason is that a multitude of individuals can change content and, thus, neither accurately reflect nor contain correct information. Therefore, avoid citing any information obtained through Wikipedia. Avoiding “” and “” is also advised. Go to this link for a complete listing of NCU recommended databases: With respect to search strings (a string serves as the basis for a search through a document or database. Strings may consist of a word, phrase, or even number, keeping your keyword terms broader at first and then narrowing your search string is recommended in the initial stages of conducting a literature review in which evidence is desired. Using too many keywords can lead to too many sources to review, whereas too few keywords will produce limited findings. Be sure to review the resources (attached) carefully. You are expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare this assignment. Assignment: You now have an enhanced understanding of implicit bias within individuals. This can also manifest itself through the written word. This assignment, you are asked to identify a theme/topic that is of interest to you. Ideas of themes/topics that may be of interest include summer learning opportunities for students, technology integration, professional development for educators, obesity prevention, redistricting attendance boundaries, suspension and expulsion alternatives, educational benefits of the arts in schools, and anti-bias education. Certainly, there is a multitude of topics, so don’t feel that you need to choose from this list. The most important thing is to select a relevant topic that is of interest to you. Using the Library and educational databases that contain peer-reviewed journals, locate three articles by three different authors that support a specific train of thought, lead to the same conclusion, and contain findings that are considered valid. These authors should have personally conducted research or reviewed scholarly research by others, yet all share the same findings, thereby substantiating the evidence through the process of triangulation. Then, conduct a web search using any search engine and find claims by at least one source that would refute the claims made by the three well-researched authors. In your submission, you are to address the following points: 1. Provide an overview of the theme/topic that you selected and why it is of importance to you. 2. Describe the methodology you employed, and the process is undertaken when conducting the research and identify the specific sources where the information was garnered. 3. What information within all the documents was similar/different? 4. For any of the sources, could any information be included to further support a given claim and make the point(s) stronger? 5. What evidence/data was used to substantiate the claims from the resources utilized? 6. Identify any bias that may exist and postulate the potential causes for it. In other words, why do you think the only source/author point of view counters the scholarly, peer-reviewed work? 7. Through this activity, what changes (if any) will you now make when conducting evidence-based research? Length: 5-7 pages including, not including title and reference page. References: Support your work with a minimum of three scholarly resources. Your essay should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect graduate-level writing and APA standards.
