Introduction to Information Literacy and Research

Introduction to Information Literacy and Research
COMM 150 Portfolio Assignment (No. 1 of 3)
Reflective Assignment
(For distribution and completion during first five weeks)

COMM 150 Course Outcomes Assessed
• Effectively use public access catalogs, bibliographies, and full-text and bibliographic databases.
• Demonstrate an awareness of political, social, legal, economic, and intellectual property issues relevant to print and electronic resources and successfully avoid plagiarism and copyright infringement.
• Investigate personal and professional interests, strengths, and skills.
• Perform research on career development and lifelong learning opportunities.
• Employ information literacy skills through the effective use of technology and information resources to accomplish a goal.

Assignment 1: Reflective Assignment is worth 5% of your total grade for the course.

Purpose of Assessment
Bryant & Stratton College is committed to your personal, academic and career success. Introduction to Information Literacy and Research (COMM 150) is a liberal arts course in the College Core for the Careers. These courses are specifically designed to support personal and professional development to achieve your career and lifelong learning goals upon graduation from the College. COMM 150 is the study of the evolution of information and the impact of technology on research and how to access, evaluate, and synthesize acquired research. Information literacy skills are essential skills for the workplace and personal and professional growth.

In selected courses you will build or revise a portfolio. The portfolio is intended to be a place where you collect your work and achievement, and to showcase your intellectual growth while in college. By the time you complete your program of study, included in your portfolio will be a narrative, a professional marketing plan, a career map, job-seeking documents (resume, cover letter, references), evidence of program specific knowledge and learning, and life-long learning competence. Once completed and graded a clean copy of these documents will be uploaded to Optimal Resume for future use. Building the portfolio throughout your academic career will allow you to set goals, establish a plan for growth, and stay on course for graduation and lifelong learning achievements. The portfolio you begin to create in the COMM 150 course will be revised throughout the educational experience.

There are three portfolio assignments in COMM 150: Reflective Assignment, Professional Plan, and Process Analysis Assignment. After successful completion of these assignments you will have initial evidence for your portfolio of your information literacy skills. As you progress through your program of study you will produce more advanced evidence of your information literacy skills. During job interviews you will want to highlight how you used research throughout your program of study to support your ideas and thoughts.

The first COMM 150 portfolio assignment is the Reflective Assignment described below. After reviewing the requirements for this assignment, think about the question or questions you will have to answer to complete the assignment successfully. As you approach working through the assignment, formulating questions will allow you to clarify the assignment and move forward with greater confidence.

Assignment Requirements
1. When completing this assignment you need to go to read an article that I have enclosed separately to support your claims. The question below that I have briefly answered highlighted in yellow to give you a glimpse of my thinking and where I am coming from. You will still have to continue on it and elaborate some more.
2. Each question must be answered 5-8 sentences in length no more or no less.
3. 2-4 pages, double space. From the 2-4 pages: There must be a cover page as well along with personal reflective essay paper. (Pleased note: cover page is completely separate from personal reflective essay). Therefore it must be written on separate blank page. However both are similar in terms of being a career personal writing. The cover page will be a ½ page out of 2-4 pages requirements and the rest of the remaining paper will be dedicated to personal reflected personal essay. The remaining left over to be used for the reflected personal essay used to answer the following question below.
4. Both the concept in personal reflected essay and cover letter is the same concept (Please keep in mined). Hence personal reflected essay and cover letter must have: Double Space, Times-New Roman, 12pt fonts, 1 inch margins- top, bottom, left, and right. (The covered page must be a focused, cleared and well written develop college level paper). However both cover page+ personal reflected essay is to be same concept.

You will summarize the article.
Provide introduction.
Answered all of the questions on this page. However make question 3e which is last question to be your conclusion.

My background information: I want to become a medical assistant.

The personal reflected essay + cover page must have a cleared focused and direct introduction. Hence in your writing throughout the paper you may write it in terms of metaphor but you have to make your point cleared that links to your central points which is the thesis. (The paper is to be written in college level writing) – with no forms of mechanical errors etc grammars. This paper must be cleared, focused well developed paper with vivid details.

5. Make the last question, which is question “e” to be your conclusion.
*Also while writing the cover page + personal reflected essay: Be sure to keep in mined of the grammars / Mechanics/ Language rubric – to make sure you exceeded the requirements. I these writing of cover letter + personal reflective essay career paper to be written above level four requirements.

Macpherson, R. (2006). The Top 5 Qualities you need to advance your career. Quill, 94(2), 26-27. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

4. Use the learnings from the article above, class discussions, and life experiences to help support your answers to the questions below.
5. Compose a reflective narrative that answers these essential questions:
a. What are the competencies, skills, and habits of mind necessary for success in college, a career, and in life? I believe my competencies skills are patient, leadership, teamwork, and commitment also my habits are teamwork. Being able to think as a whole instead of one mind. Being able to lead but not in control.
b. Of the competencies, skills, and habits of mind, which skills do you feel are your strengths and which ones are challenges that need to be further developed?
I feel my strength is to be patient because I am able to relate to people under any circumstances.
c. What do you think are the competencies, skills, and habits of mind that are necessary for success in your future career choice?
I think the competencies skills / or habits needed to advance to my career goal is interpersonal because it is a trait that peoples needs the most in today workforce like health-care.
d. Taking into consideration your competencies, skills, and habits of mind, and those required for your future career choice, how well prepared are you at this moment to enter your chosen profession?
I think that speaking theoretically in terms of prepared, I believe that I am in the skills area of my personal character qualities that I already have.
e. As a final note following your reflective narrative think about and address these questions:
a) Did you find your approach to the assignment effective?
b) Is there anything that you might do differently if you were to be assigned a similar assignment later in the semester?

Though this is a more formal approach for instructor feedback speak to me regarding any assignment any time before it is due.
Note: Your assignment should be typed and double-spaced.

Liberal Arts
Rubric for COMM 150 Portfolio Assignment 1
Reflective Assignment Paper
Content Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
4 3.8 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.2 3.1 3.0 2.8 2.7 1.4 0
The narrative provides thorough details of interests, strengths and skills related to personal, academic and career development; it thoroughly explains how existing knowledge of strengths and skills will be developed to ensure personal, academic and career success; and consistently and appropriately uses supporting details from the article. The paper uses the article in a way that evidences thorough understanding of legal and ethical implications The narrative provides a somewhat thorough description of interests, strengths and skills related to personal, academic and career development; it somewhat explains how existing knowledge of strengths and skills will be developed to ensure personal, academic and career success; and appropriately uses supporting details from the article. The paper uses the article in a way that evidences understanding of legal and ethical implications The narrative provides a basic description of skills related to personal, academic and career development; it basically explains how existing knowledge of strengths and skills will be developed to ensure personal, academic and career success; and sporadically uses supporting details from the article. The paper uses the article in a way that partially evidences understanding of legal and ethical implications The narrative lists and describes personal interests, strengths and skills yet does not extend those interest descriptions to the pursuit of academic and career goals. There is little or no evidence of supporting details from the article. The paper uses the article in a way that evidences little or no understanding of legal and ethical implications.
Points Given
Weight X 18
Final Score__________ Comments:
Paragraph Structure Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
4 3.8 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.2 3.1 2.9 2.8 2.7 1.4 0.0
The paper is fluent and understandable. The pattern of organization is appropriate to the assignment. The introduction effectively establishes the thesis; the paragraphs that follow are controlled by topic sentences and contain well-integrated supporting details with effective transitions to enhance the complete and logical development of the thesis; and the conclusion, rather than simply restating the introduction, addresses the significance of the topic. The paper has a clearly recognizable introduction, body, and conclusion and uses a pattern of organization appropriate to the assignment. The reader is aided in understanding by the logical placement of the thesis, the presence of a clear topic sentence in all/most paragraphs, effective paragraph divisions, transitions between supporting details, and the final “wrap up” in the conclusion (though this may be no more than a restatement of the introduction). The paper, though it has an introduction, body, and conclusion and so is basically “correct” in its structure, is in need of a clear organizational pattern. The reader’s clear understanding would be aided by more logically developed paragraphs: topic sentences and/or transitions need to be improved and/or added. Both the introduction and the conclusion should be more effectively structured. The paper would be improved by a combination of the following: a clear pattern of organization, an introduction and conclusion, appropriate paragraph divisions, topic sentences, supporting details arranged for a logical sequence of ideas, and transitions to draw connections between ideas.
Points Given:

Weight: X4

Final score:

Comments:

 
Grammar/Mechanics/Language Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
4 3.8 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.2 3.1 2.9 2.8 2.7 1.4 0.0
The assignment is well written according to the rules of Standard English and effectively communicates the writer’s purpose. Is error free in terms of spelling and punctuation? Grammar as expressed through subject/pronoun/verb agreement is error free. Excellence is demonstrated in sentence construction and use of transitional sentences to connect paragraphs and create meaning.
The assignment is generally well written according to the rules of Standard English and communicates the writer’s purpose. There are a few errors (1 per page) but the errors do not significantly detract from the reader’s understanding of the writer’s intention. There are a few errors (1 per page) in spelling and punctuation. There are a few errors (1 per page) in grammar as expressed through subject/pronoun/verb agreement. There is evidence of appropriate sentence construction and transitional sentences to connect paragraphs and create meaning. The assignment generally conforms to the assignment requirements and the writer’s purpose is evident, although more development according to the rules of Standard English is required in order to effectively communicate the writer’s purpose. There are many errors (> 2 per page) in spelling and punctuation. There are many (>2 per page) errors in grammar as expressed through subject/pronoun/verb agreement. There are many errors (> 2 per page) in sentence construction. Transitional sentences to connect paragraphs and create meaning are generally absent. Overall, many errors (>2 per page) in the writings interfere with the reader’s understanding. The assignment barely meets the minimum acceptable standards according to the rules of Standard English in order to effectively communicate the writer’s purpose. Frequent errors more than (>3 per page) in spelling and punctuation, frequent errors more than (> 3 per page) in grammar as expressed through subject/pronoun/verb agreement are evident. Sentence construction is minimally acceptable due to frequent appearance greater than (> 3 per page) of sentence fragments. Transitional sentences to connect paragraphs and create meaning are absent. Frequent errors greater than (> 3 per page) interfere with the reader’s understanding.
Points Given:
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17

RISK ASSESSMENT

Order Description
Objectives
• To gain understanding of what is involved in writing a Briefing Note;
• To gain understanding of what is needed to produce a Risk Assessment;
• To acquire experience in undertaking production of a Briefing Note and Risk Assessment on a weed species.

The task
You are required to undertake a risk assessment on a plant pest. You will report the results in a ‘Briefing Note’ (Part 1 of the assignment) with supporting documentation, e.g. risk assessment table (Part 2 of the assignment). The guidelines for completing the assignment and a briefing note template are provided below. I have also provided an example briefing note and risk assessment as separate documents.

Scenario
You are a Biosecurity Officer with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries. You have just been informed about the sighting of Limonium ramossisimum (Poir.) Maire in a Victorian saltmarsh. A collection was made and identification verified. Local authorities were notified and an investigation of nearby saltmarshes undertaken. Several more plants of L. ramossisimum were found in some of these saltmarshes.

You have been asked to provide a preliminary written briefing on the template provided (below) to the Ministers for Environment and Primary Industries as to the degree of risk associated with ramossisimum. Specifically, you have been asked to provide comments on:
• The potential safety risk to humans;
• The extent this weed may impact on structure and composition of saltmarsh vegetation;
• The possible impacts and level of severity on fauna;
• The pest potential of this species.
• The probability the species can be eradicated should a population become established.

You should attach supporting documentation to your briefing note if necessary.

You MUST provide:
• References you have based your assessment on. Use the Oxford system to reference each statement in the briefing note
• A risk assessment as per the provided worksheets. Indicate when there is not sufficient information to complete any portion. Note: this is Part 2 of the assignment and due at a later date. I have included mention of it here as it normally would accompany the briefing note.

Guidelines for completing the assignment

Part 1: Briefing Note (20%)
Completion of the Briefing Note will require considerable effort put into a literature search. So, be wise and start early. Please note, you will not find the information on Limonium ramossisimum to directly answer ALL questions for the briefing note but, in these instances, you can discuss what is most likely to occur based on what is known to happen with similar species. The information on L. ramossisimum is scattered amongst the literature, a lot of which is grey literature, so you will need to do an extensive literature search using a variety of search terms. If you are having problems finding the appropriate literature, contact a librarian for a lesson on how to fine tune your search procedures. If you still have problems after having tried this, please see me, but I will want to see you have given it a good attempt.

Briefing Note Template
MINUTE forming ENCLOSURE TO REF 99/9999

TO:
MINISTERS FOR ENVIRONMENT AND PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
RE:
RISKS POSED BY Algerian SEA LAVENDER (L. ramossisimum)
THROUGH:
DIRECTOR, LAND MANAGEMENT
Purpose
Background

Discussion

Recommendations
BIOSECURITY OFFICER
EXOTIC PEST SPECIES SECTION, VICTORIAN DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

Date:xx/xx/2013
REFERENCES
example

MINUTE forming ENCLOSURE TO REF 99/9999
TO: RE:
THROUGH:
Purpose
MINISTERS FOR ENVIRONMENT AND PRIMARY INDUSTRIES RISKS POSED BY SICILIAN MARSH WEED (ARCTOSENNA
PEDIASTRUM)
DIRECTOR, LAND MANAGEMENT
? To inform you of the degree of risk associated with Sicilian Marsh Weed Arctosenna pediastrum (Brullo) in saltmarshes near Warrnambool, Victoria and to provide relevant recommendations.
? To provide specific comments on the possible effects on human health, the extent to which the species may impact on structure and composition of saltmarsh vegetation, the possible impacts and level of severity on fauna, and the pest potential of the species and probability that it can be eradicated should a population become established.
Background
? Arctosenna pediastrum was recently sighted in a saltmarsh near Warrnambool in Victoria and identification has been verified. A subsequent investigation of saltmarshes in the vicinity discovered additional populations of A. pediastrum.
? A preliminary risk assessment was conducted to identify risks associated with the species.
Discussion
? A risk assessment was undertaken, with the results indicating that A. pediastrum is highly likely to become an invasive weed in Victoria.
? The species is unlikely to have detrimental effects on human health – A. pediastrum (along
with other closely related species) has been cultivated for at least 60 years, and there is no
evidence of any of these species being injurious to humans.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The degree of potential
risk to human health is likely to be minimal as there is no known report of associated hazards
or significant allergies.5, 6. Also, hand-pulling is recommended to control A. pediastrum and
other weedy congenerics, indicating that physical contact with these plants is not hazardous.7, 8, 9, 10.
? A. pediastrum and other similar species (e.g. A. ramosissimum, A. vulgare) are highly competitive, growing in clumps which spread out to form dense mats.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
? Saltmarsh may be completely covered as the Limonium population becomes denser, forming a near-monoculture, crowding out or preventing existing indigenous flora from establishing, and directly replacing less competitive indigenous plants.6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
? As with other very similar congenerics, it is likely A. pediastrum can actively lower soil salinity
by absorbing and excreting salt via glands in the leaves.8, 13, 14, 15. This change in
biogeochemistry can lead to a decrease in the indigenous species originally present and
potentially facilitate less salt-tolerant species, thus changing the local species composition.8, 13, 14, 16.
? This may lead to species displacement, biodiversity loss, localized extinctions of indigenous flora (particularly already rare species), changes in vegetation structure and composition and alteration of ecosystem funtions.6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17.
? Significant negative impacts on Victoria’s coastal vegetation and structurally complex saltmarshes are thus likely, especially in the very sensitive uppermost saltmarsh zones.18, 19.
? There is a high probability that A. pediastrum will have significant detrimental impacts on indigenous fauna (particularly already threatened species), due to the above points and following points:12, 13, 16, 17, 18. – Changes in vegetation structure and composition will decrease habitat heterogeneity, and
alter the area’s ecosystem services and the resources available to fauna for feeding,
2
nesting, and refugia.12, 13, 16, 17, 18. This is likely to decrease faunal diversity and result in the
migration or death of fauna species, leading to local extinctions.16. – The leaves, seeds, or pollen of A. pediastrum may provide a food source for birds and
insects (especially flies, bees, ants and moths), with unpredictable impacts.3, 5, 6, 15, 23. – It may also be grazed by other animals (again with unpredictable impacts, depending on
comparative nutritional composition), including possibly by pests (e.g. rabbits).6, 20, 21, 22, 24. – Additionally, A. pediastrum may encourage or provide short-term cover to pest animals,
which would place further pressure on indigenous fauna.6.
? The pest potential is high if a population has become established due to the species’ impacts on flora and fauna, and its many attributes that are characteristic of a successful invader, as
follows:6, 10, 16, 25, 26.
– Naturalised populations have already been established elsewhere, including here.1, 2, 9.
– Various congenerics are considered weeds throughout the world, including in Australia.4.
– Good match in climate and environmental conditions between Victoria and native range.1, 2, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32.
– Adaptable, with broad ecological tolerances (able to survive maritime exposure, infertile and saline soils, and extended dry periods).2, 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34.
– Rapid growth and short reproductive cycle; flowers throughout the year.1, 9, 24. – Multiple pollination methods likely – insects, wind, possibly self-pollination.5, 15, 18. – Very fecund with high seed capacity – likely to produce thousands of small, buoyant seeds
that are capable of long-distance dispersal in seawater).10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23, 33, 35. – Multiple effective dispersal methods and presence of dispersal agents – wind, water (seeds
dispersed large distances by tidal currents), possibly birds.3, 15, 33, 35, 36. – Likely to be capable of vegetative reproduction via root fragmentation.5, 15.
? There is a medium probability that the species can be eradicated if a population has become established, due to the above points and the following points: – Small populations with limited establishment can be easily eradicated (relatively
inexpensively) by manual removal and appropriate disposal.7, 17, 19, 20. – However, the entire root system must be removed for successful eradication.7. – Chemical control methods (herbicide application) have limited effectiveness, possibly due to
the leathery leaves and lack of stomata on the upperside of A. pediastrum’s leaves.1, 7, 17, 20. – To be successful, early detection and eradication efforts, while the population remains small
and easy to control, are critical.7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 19. – Long-term control of established populations is expensive and more difficult, with
detrimental effects on local biodiversity more likely to occur.17.
Recommendations
? (1) Immediate establishment of a research program to improve knowledge of potential impacts on indigenous fauna and vegetation communities. International and inter-state communication (e.g. with Italy and South Australia) would be beneficial in collating further information about the species’ ecology and effective strategies for management.
? (2) Coordinated broad-scale detection efforts across Victorian coastal environments (e.g. saltmarsh vegetation and other susceptible communities) to determine if additional populations of A. pediastrum exist and the species’ abundance.12, 13, 16, 17, 19.
? (3) Implementation of an intensive control/eradication program based on ‘best practice’ guidelines and current information, with the aim of eradicating known populations, minimizing spread, and preventing the establishment of additional populations. To be updated regularly as new information becomes available to allow adaptive management.7, 10, 12, 13, 17, 19.
? (4) Provision of factual information to local communities regarding the high risk of A. pediastrum establishing and its pest potential, and call for information regarding the existence and location of other occurrences of the species.7, 12, 13, 17, 19.
BIOSECURITY OFFICER EXOTIC PEST SPECIES SECTION, VICTORIAN DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Date: 21/4/2012 REFERENCES: note: I have not included these.

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