Table of Contents
Assessing Information (Information Literacy) Assignment
You will become familiar with the topic of study for this course, attachment, by exploring and identifying resources, on the internet and in print, that provide information about this topic. The crux of this assignment, in addition to the exploration of available resources, is to evaluate those resources with respect to type or level of knowledge. Understanding how to evaluate resources in this way is known as information literacy. For example, some resources offer opinions by peers, still others by are written by authorities in the field. Finally, there are resources that offer knowledge in the form of theories or research studies, as well as data from those research studies. These type of resources, in the Social Sciences in particular, are what is required for information to be considered knowledge.
While this may seem strange or too rigid to many of you, consider the type of information source you would trust the most if you needed help with a child of yours. Would it be another parent? A physician (who applies the information)? Or a researcher who, under the strict guidelines of the Scientific Method, develops and conducts studies that test ideas. Here is a clearer definition of the 3 levels of information:
- Knowledge: Information supported by research, published in referenced, peer-reviewed journals to make sure information is accurate.
- Informed opinion: Information that comes from a range of people. It can come from ordinary people like you and me, who become knowledgeable (become informed) about a topic or it can come from professionals who are knowledgeable about the topic. These professionals apply the theories and research findings but do not conduct research. Informed opinion can be either: a) non-expert or b) expert. Although informed opinion is important, remember that for professional experts, knowledge comes from researchers accepted in the field.
- Opinions: Beliefs or conclusions held with confidence but not substantiated by knowledge or proof (i.e., Wikipedia or http://www.thefreedictionary.com).
Consider the following: When you have a question about the information you are receiving, which of those three sources of information would you go to to have your question answered? Suppose that you thought John Bowlby’s theory of attachment was partially incorrect. Maybe you think that infants and toddlers do not attach to one primary caregiver, but equally to more than one caregiver. In the 1970s and 1980s, a Developmental Psychologist named Michael Lamb wanted to find out if infants and toddlers could form primary attachments to more than one caregiver. Dr. Lamb conducted a series of research studies testing his hypothesis. His research failed to show that there were special attachment behaviors reserved exclusively for mothers (who were considered to be the primary caregivers). These results put into question Bowlby’s theoretical assertion that human infants are predisposed to attach to one primary object. If you, like Dr. Lamb, wanted to question a theory, which sources would your find most informative regarding your question?
Information about Assessing Information
For this assignment, you will show your understanding of how to assess information on the subject of attachment by determining the type of information being offered. This is a two step process. First, you will become familiar with resources by researching the internet or libraries (including ESC virtual library) for sources of information on attachment and assessing these resources as offering professional or popular information. Second, you will write up the results of your research and assessment of information in the form of an Annotated Bibliography of Resources on Attachment.
- Professional information is research (empirical/observable findings) and/or theories that are published by professionally regulated print or electronic media. Individuals who provide this type of information are typically researchers or scholars who have earned credentials and/or acceptance by members of their professional group. In addition, all research in the social sciences is dispersed through what is called peer-reviewed journals. A peer-reviewed journal is journal whose articles about research or theory need to go through a scholarly review process. Each article is sent by the editors of the journal to 2-3 professionals (peers) with expertise in the same content area. Only if the article is found to be accurate and makes a new contribution to the field, will it be accepted for publication. You often hear about information from these articles through secondary sources such as broadcasters or other experts. For example, CBS Nightly News might do a report on the findings in an article from The New England Journal of Medicine. If you wanted to read the entire article you’d need to look in the journal. If the information is being presented orally in professionally regulated conferences, the proposal for the presentation generally must go through a similar peer-review process before being accepted. In this way a field polices itself by making sure (as much as possible) that information being treated as knowledge is accurate. When the information being offered is developed using accepted scholarly and research methods AND is published after being scrutinized by knowledgeable persons in the field for accuracy and newness, this is considered professional information. All academic journals available in print or electronically have information about whether or not the information offered is peer-reviewed. For example, the American Psychologist is a peer-reviewed journal while Psychology Today is not but both are made available through the American Psychological Association (APA). To search for professional information you would use EBSCOhost through the ESC online library – you would not use a search engine like Google. If you need help searching for professional sources of information, the ESC librarians are more than happy to help. To help you find these resources, go to the Empire State College’s online Library home page at www.esc.edu/library.
- Popular Information: In contrast, information for popular consumption does not need to meet these standards. Often this information refers to research, but is discussed and reported in language geared for the general public. It has been "translated" from academic or scientific "language" into everyday language. The people doing this dispersing are also different. They may be professionals recognized in their field or they may be journalists or writers. The important thing to keep in mind is that their articles or presentations are not required to be peer reviewed. The processes for determining the accuracy of the information are different. It could be the person is known and acknowledged in the field, such as experts heard on television, or it could be that the person has academic or scholarly credentials. Often there are websites by doctors and other professionals who are publicizing information about their specialty. While they may be experts, the information being offered is their version, and it is not peer reviewed. If the information is being published in a magazine, the editors may have to approve the article. Magazines about parenting, for example, publish articles by professionals who are writing about psychology and development for the general public. Therefore, this information is considered popular information.
Notes
- You may find some sources difficult to read, because attachment theory, which seems to be about everyday experiences, actually arose from questions about theory, as well as much empirical research. In contrast, you will find information on a topic such as "attachment parenting" that has nothing to do with professional knowledge, but is derived from information on attachment theory. This concept, attachment parenting, is one that is not accepted in the field by scholars or researchers at this time. What I can assure you is that the information we have today is the best and most that we know at this point. For example, research on adult attachment is much newer than the research on infant attachment. New research is always being done, and smart people are thinking about the findings. But be persistent, as the language about attachment becomes more familiar, the resources you come across will be easier to understand. Also, when you are reading an article that includes statistical analysis that you do not understand, the findings and the discussion will provide enough information for you to comprehend the results of the study. In other words, don’t get hung up on the statistics.
- Like any topic related to Human Development, knowledge is developing every day. Because this topic includes everyday experiences, and is so important to us as humans in this U.S. culture, it is sometimes hard to determine what information is professional and what information may be a very interesting derivation of the professional information. We all are interested in love, in being loved and loving: In this culture, we believe that being attached to caregivers (usually parents) is a very important aspect of human development and happiness. We hold further that this is the basis for being able to have intimate attachments with lovers, spouses, and children later in life.
Instructions for Written Assignment
- Research: I am sure that you know how to complete a simple Google search using the word attachment but do not start there! For this assignment, start by browsing the ESC library for material about attachment. Read the articles and look for evidence about whether it is professional or popular. Find in print or on the internet (through electronic resources such as the ESC virtual library) several sources of professional information on attachment.
- Select: You will select one professional journal article and write this information up as an Annotated Bibliography (see information below). It is critical that you be sure to select a professional journal article.
- Written Assignment: Read the resource you selected in depth before you submit your assignment. The annotated bibliography will demonstrate that you have read the resource you selected for your bibliography. This can be a challenging assignment so be sure to start by visiting the ESC library and using all of the available resources.
- Very Important information: The sources of information that you use in your Annotated Bibliography must be written in the same format used for writing references at the end of a paper using APA style format.
Other Helpful Resources for Writing an Annotated Bibliography
- How to Write an Annotated Bibliography (Cornell University, Library) http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.html
- How to Write an Annotated Bibliography (University of California, Santa Cruz Library) http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/annotated.html
- Please visit the ESC Subject Guide for Annotated Bibliographies for a wealth of information: http://subjectguides.esc.edu/annotatedbib
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