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I have a total of just four students in this one-credit class, including two from each department.
The course Web site is here.
The students are delivering their completed assignments to me via individual folders in a class RefWorks account.
English 101A and 101B: Expository Writing
October 30 and October 31
15 students in 101A
15 students in 101B
Prof. Smout
Merrill
General topic of this course: Civil Disobedience.
I come into the classroom not knowing what topic I am going to research with them. We chose a topic in class, one that a student comes up with. Therefore, there is no research guide.
What's expected of them:
--write a research log (books, periodicals, websites) on the topic of their choice.
--find three excellent sources
--write a paper using these three sources
The approximately 20 students in Pam Luecke's class have a couple of academic research assignments, including a term paper. The ability to focus on academic/scholarly journal literature is an important element in these assignments.
Here is their research guide.
A student in Frank Settle's Nuclear Power: Energy and Environment course (CHEM 196) is working on a 10-15 page paper on French nuclear power.
Here is a quick guide to finding articles, etc.
A student wants a list of companies that had their initial public offering (IPO) within a set range of years. This can be tricky because a companies IPO date is not included in many sources. Hoovers.com provides a good IPO section, and it can be used to find recent IPOs. To go back in time, the COMPUSTAT database is a good source. We have access for W&L students and faculty through WRDS. http://library.wlu.edu/details.php?resID=1225
It must be used on a computer that is located in either Leyburn or Huntley Hall, and the user must be logged into the campus network. (Unaffiliated users may not have access to WRDS.) Some knowledge of how to extract company data is required so inexperienced users should be referred to John T. for help.
This research guide was prepared to assist the approximately 20 students in this class, each of whom has to write a research paper on some Lincoln-related topic, such as his suspension of habeas corpus.
This guide actually has an interesting history. Apparently, the competition for books in the subject area was so fierce that it was (is) causing considerable frustration among the students. The guide is intended to help spread the demand.
class visit:10/16/07
Prof. Benefiel
28 students
Merrill
Students will write papers and do class presentations for this course.
Research Guide
Student query:
"I am in Prof. Novack's Race and Ethnicity class and I am beginning to work on my term paper which is due in a month. I want to focus on african americans in television. This is pretty broad but within this topic I want to address a few narrower ideas including how their image on tv has evolved, stereotypes, and look at the differences and divisions between "white" and "black" tv. I have looked at the online course guide to research but haven't come up with much! I don't know if I'm not typing in the right words or if there's not enough on the topic."
Here is the brief guide I put together.
David Novack requested that I update the SOC 228 research guide for the current class.
He is sending students to me individually if they are having trouble with their research.
The "student/public" computers and associated printer in the Reference area, including the two "guest" machines, are officially under the care of Earl Edwards of University Computing.
Thus, problems with that equipment should be reported by e-mail to Earl.
John White (Help Desk) has asked that we copy him on those messages.
All the Reference Librarians, plus Carol and Elizabeth, also should be copied on these messages.
In addition, an out-of-order sign, indicating the date the problem was reported, should be posted on the offending machine. (You can copy this sign, if you want.)
A student needs city or regional pricing for ethanol around the U.S.
This publication seems to do what he wants.
I probably never would have been able to find this without LexisNexis Statistical.
Student question:
I am considering doing a paper on race and standardized testing (particularly SAT and ACT) for Prof. Novack's Race and Ethnic Relations class. I am having a little trouble finding info on it, and was wondering if you could suggest some good ways to search.
Suggested research guide.
A student asked about interpreting job offers from companies in different locations. Since one offer was much lower than expected, she wanted to know how to respond to the differences in offers. While there are many ways to approach this sort of question, this is what I normally recommend.
The cost of living will have an effect on salaries paid at different locations. (There are also many other factors that will influence salaries, but the other factors are more difficult to estimate.)
While there are difference sources that could be used to determine the cost of living, I like the ACCRA Cost of Living Index (REF HB235 U6 C58). The organization is by state, but Washington, D.C. is listed as one metro area under D.C. but including NoVA.
Use the composite index to gage the differences in buying power between different locations.
For example, if the salary was $30,000, the buying power of that $30,000 in Arlington is different from the same salary in Lexington.
If the DC metro area has a composite index of 137.0, this means that it is 37% more expensive than the average of all participating areas.
If you divide the $30000 by the index value, you will get the "average" equivalent purchasing power. So, 30000/1.37 = 21897.81
To compare this salary with one with equivalent purchasing power in Lexington (with a composite index of 99.3) multiply the average figure by the index value - 21897.81*.993=21411.53.
So, an offer of $25,000 in Lexington is better than $30,000 in Arlington (all other factors being equivalent).
Please note that the differences in taxes between two locations will also have an effect on the net salary that is not accounted for in the ACCRA Cost of Living Index.
Again, these are rough measures that allow a quick comparison between locations.
Lad Sessions
8 students
Fall term 07
Merrill
Research Guide only
W&L student:
I have a research question having to do with finding transportation industry information for Ukraine. The only source I have found so far that has yielded anything is Europa World Plus. I have tried the CIA world fact book, LexisNexis country profiles, and the UNCDB, and have not gotten much out of them. Specifically what I am looking for is the following:
What kind of transportation exists today in Ukraine, do they manufacture vehicles in country, if not, where do they get them from. Also, if you can find their equivalent to the Department of Transportation and get statistics on ownership of vehicles and number of licensed drivers. Do you need a motorcycle license or just a driver's license for two wheeled products. Are two wheeled products popular and where are they coming from.
(1) The best source for manufacturing information might be the U.S. Government's most recent (only?) Country Commercial Guide for Ukraine. It's a couple years old, but the data probably are still pretty valid.
(If the above link does not work for some reason, you can start from here.)
(2) You might try contacting the U.S. embassy in Kiev with some of your questions.
Similarly, the Ukrainian embassy in Washington (although they seem to be hiding a "contact" link).
Worth a shot.
(3) There is a Ukrainian Ministry of Transport and Communications, but the whole thing seems to be available only in Ukrainian.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian State Statistics Committee (sort of like their Census Bureau) has a Web site that is accessible in English.
Look for the little "ENG" link in the upper-right. There might be some useful data here.
(4) Regarding motor vehicle laws, etc. in Ukraine, I suggest you contact one of the reference librarians in our law school, probably either Judy Stinson or Caroline Osborne.
I would not overlook the potential usefulness of ABI/Inform and the various LexisNexis Country Profiles options.