Guidelines on HOW TO Successfully Find, Read, Summarize, and then Write Abstracts

Guidelines on HOW TOSuccessfully Find, Read, Summarize, and then Write Abstracts Dr. David M. Agnew VOED 6503, History and Principles of Vocational Education Arkansas State University

Objectives of this Presentation • 1. To help you understand the purposes of this assignment. • 2. To define abstract and know the attributes of a good abstract. • 3. To help you find appropriate articles for this assignment. • 4. To help you learn to read articles with a purpose in mind. • 5. To help you learn how to organize your thoughts on the articles you read. • 6. To help you write abstracts that are worthy of a good grade.

Objective 1: Purposes or Objectives of this Assignment • Of the Abstract Assignment: • To survey the sources of professional literature associated with the discipline. • To gain an awareness of the nature of literature in the discipline. • Develop in depth knowledge associated with some aspect of the profession or discipline. • Of the Abstract Itself: • To bring information into the class that would not normally be included. • To further develop ones ability to critically review the literature and assess the key points of the literature. • To share the information with others in the class.

Objective 2: Define Abstract • Types of assignments • Research paper or report • Opinion paper, editorial • Abstract • What is an article abstract? • A summary of an article, an overview. • It is boiling a long article down to just the bare facts. • Taking a 10 or 30 page article down to ½ a page.

Objective 2b: Key elements of a good abstract • What are the key elements of a good abstract? • Follows guidelines provided in the assignment sheet. • About 200 words in length, single spaced (½ page long but not more than 1 page). • Font should be 12 point, New Times Roman • Has multiple paragraphs that are organized logically. • Citation follows APA Style Manual, 5th edition. • http://www.apastyle.org/ • http://www.psywww.com/resource/apacrib.htm • http://www.lib.usm.edu/research/guides/apa.html • Is grammatically correct. • Maintains the key themes or ideas of the articles • Summary is in your own words • Offers a short assessment at the conclusion of your prospective.

Objective 3: Searching for Scholarly Publications • 1. Best Places to Look for scholarship: • Books (Published) Not for abstracts • Thesis or dissertations (unpublished) Not for abstracts • Professional & scholarly journals (Published, FOR ABSTRACTS) • Usually there is at least one that is directly associated with a profession and others with a less direct connection. • Proceeding of Professional and scholarly presentations (Sometimes, but not allows published, FOR ABSTRACTS) • Scholarly means refereed and blind peer reviewed • 2. Other sources that are sometimes acceptable: • Some websites (maybe if it is a journal) Not for abstracts • Consider stability and source (institutional or individual) • Many professional journals are now on the web • Some “professional sources” other than journals and proceedings, such as lower level periodicals (Ag Ed Magazine), Professional newsletters, official communications through memos or letters, official reports of official committees or a task force. (maybe) • Published, book reviews, editorials, or abstracts, Not for abstracts • Legal documents, laws, legislation Not for abstracts

How to use the internet to find Good Journal Articles • Databases such as ERIC, Academic Search Premier, Article1st, AGRICOLA, HistoryHistory (American), History (World) • Webpage or homepage for individual journals. • Example 1: Journal of Agricultural Education • Professional organization, American Association of Agricultural Educators (AAAE) http://pubs.aged.tamu.edu/jae/ • Example 2: Journal of Education for Business • http://static.highbeam.com/j/journalofeducationforbusiness/index.html

Objective 4: Purposes for Reading • Reading to assess: Enables you to determine whether the content is valid and has merit and relevant for your applications. • Reading to learn: Enables you to learn information for background knowledge or decision making • Reading to learn to do: Enables you to learn how to complete tasks (learning but not to do) • Reading to do: Actual doing, not just knowing a process, enables you to complete tasks. • Reading to tell: To tell or share what you have learned with others.

Objective 5: How to organize your thoughts on the articles you read. 1. Review the article quickly (if an abstract is provided review it first, if not look at the title, subtitles, and any illustrations or graphical info provided. Also if a research article look for the research questions and then look to the results and conclusions for a quick understanding of the article) 2. Reflect upon your purpose for reading. 3. READ it, don’t just scan it, Read it in sections and re-read. The goal is to do it right not to get done quickly. 4. Make notes as you read, listing the key points and high-light sections, if you are working from a photocopy. 5. Ask yourself these questions? a. What are the key points? what is the author telling me? d. Would others in my class agree that the points you saw would actually be the main points? c. What can I learn from this that I can tell others? 6. Organization of the actual abstract: a. At the top, on the right side indicate that this is 1 of 4, 2 of 4 , etc. b. One the next line, place you name in the center of the page. c. The citation goes next at the top, two line down from your name d. Double space and begin the abstract. • Two or three paragraphs will be devoted to your summary of the article. • The last paragraph is where you evaluate the article in your own words.

Objective 6: Writing abstracts that are worthy of a good grade • Here are what mistakes people make and how it affects their grade. • Trying to not go to the library, You most likely can not get it all off the internet • Not reading directions or not following directions • Trying to do the abstract without reading the article • Using only one journal • Not using acceptable source for the article that you abstract • Selecting an article that is not related to the subject of this course • Not properly citing source • Not thinking that I will look up the original article • Misspelling, poor grammar and sentence construction • Taking credit for something someone else did • Copying sections of the article word for word (i.e Article abstract or resume) This will result in failure for the course or at least F on the assignment. • Taking someone else’s work and submitting it as your own is called PLAGIARISM. See the Academic Integrity Policy in the course syllabus for details • Not following the format (Example is given) • Restatement of simple disjointed facts and not a summary of content. • Abstract is too short (less than half a page will not work) • Abstract is too long • more than one page • Not being ready to report on the article in class when it is your turn

One of your assignments for this semester is to: • Write four abstracts, 3 on historical aspects of Career and Technical Education and 1 on current issues or trends in Career and Technical Education. • Detailed guidelines are on the assignment sheet.

Evaluation Criteria for Written Abstracts 1. Organization & Placement -- follows the stated guidelines, has all the parts, and they are in the proper places (each part is located in proper sequence and in proper place on the page). 2. Content – Easy to read, is well written, has a logical flow, is a good summary 3. Follows generally accepted rules of English -- good grammar, spelling, good sentence structure, etc. 3. Citations -- Follows APA Guidelines 4. Selection of article - Article is on topic & is informative

Check List: Before You Turn It In ___ Does the topic of the article relate to the course as discussed in class? ___ Is each abstract numbered correctly? ___ Does each citation conform to APA style? ___ Is each citation complete? ___ Is your name on each abstract? ___ Is there proper spacing between each section (Name, Citation, and Body of the abstract) ___ Is each article summarized in 2-3 paragraphs? ___ Is the last paragraph of each a commentary? ___ Does it show fore though & adherence to the rules of grammar? ___ If someone else read your abstract would they get the major points?

Evaluation Criteria for Oral Presentations 1. Voice – Clear, loud enough, confident & articulate 2. Grammar – Uses accepted grammar 3. Knowledge of the subject – evident that you had read and understand the article. Does not have to read the abstract (big loss of points for this). 4. Introduction -- Gives good introduction, states the descriptive information in the introduction (i.e Title, Author) 5. Commentary – Show good understanding of the article within the context of the discipline and shows evidence that you have contemplated the relevance of the article. Note: You will select two articles of interest to you for presentation to the class.

Do you know where to begin? • Let start with selecting an article based upon the title. • Number on thru 10 on your paper • Place a “Y” by the corresponding number if it is acceptable based upon the title. And place an “N” by the corresponding number if it is not acceptable. • Be prepared if it is not acceptable to explain why.

You be the Judge-- 1 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • Vocational Further Education and Training for British Merchant Navy Ratings: The National Sea Training Schools, 1942-1972.Author: Kennerley, Alston Source: History of Education v29 n4 p301-27 Jul 2000

You be the Judge--2 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • A Tribute to the Visionaries, Prime Movers and Pioneers of Vocational Education 1892 to 1917.Author: Smith, Neville B. Source: Journal of Vocational and Technical Education v16 n1 p67-76 Fall 1999

You be the Judge--3 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • Current Trends in Technology Education and Vocational Training in the Former Republics of the Soviet Union.Access ERIC: FullTextAuthor: Bannatyne, Mark W. McK. Publication: U.S. Nevada No. of Pages: 34

You be the Judge--4 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • Social Welfare and Vocational Education--in Progressive Era Cincinnati.Author: Lakes, Richard D. Source: Journal of Vocational and Technical Education v11 n2 p12-21 Spr 1995

You be the Judge--5 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • The Project Method: Its Vocational Education Origin and International Development.Author: Knoll, Michael Source: Journal of Industrial Teacher Education v34 n3 p59-80 Spr 1997

You be the Judge--6 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • A Partial and Informal History of Vocational Education in Hawaii: 1809-1995.Access ERIC: Author: Broadbent, William A. Publication: U.S. Hawaii No. of Pages: 128

You be the Judge--7 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • The History of the American Vocational Education Research Association. The First 25 Years.Access ERIC: FullTextAuthor: McCracken, J. David; And Others Publication: U.S. Ohio No. of Pages: 131

You be the Judge--8 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • Eliminating Sex Bias in Vocational Youth Organizations. Summary of Project MOVE's Camp Oswegatchie Program, July 8-14, 1978.Author: Farris, Charlotte J. Publication: U.S. New York No. of Pages: 31

You be the Judge--9 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • Youth Organizations Aid in TeachingAuthor: Johnson, W. T. Source: Agr Educ Mag 42, 4, 102, 69 Oct

You be the Judge--10 • Based only on the title below, is this article appropriate for a course like this one? • Perspectives on Future Directions in Vocational PsychologyAuthor: Betz, Nancy Source: Journal of Vocational Behavior 59, no. 2 (2001): 275-283 (9 pages)

Do you feel ok about looking at titles? • Titles are the starting point but they are not always correct. Sometimes the title seems ok but the article is not. • The next step is to quickly review the text to see if it looks ok…. • If it looks interesting and is something that you want then dig in and read it and take notes, develop an outline, or if working from a copy you might highlight sections.

You be the Judge– Abstract 1How well is it written? • Given the following abstract (Abstract 1) how would you rate this using the guidelines provided and based upon our class discussions? • You may use the check sheet and the grade criteria for the written abstract.

Check List 1.___ Does the topic of the article relate to the course as discussed in class? 2. ___ Is each abstract numbered correctly? 3.___ Does each citation conform to APA style? 4.___ Is each citation complete? 5.___ Is your name on each abstract? 6.___ Is there proper spacing between each section (Name, Citation, and Body of the abstract) 7.___ Is each article summarized in 2-3 paragraphs? 8.___ Is the last paragraph of each a commentary? 9.___ Does it show fore though & adherence to the rules of grammar? 10. ___ If someone else read your abstract would they get the major points? ================================================================== Evaluation Criteria for the Written Plan: 1. Organization & Placement -- follows the stated guidelines, has all the parts, and they are in the proper places (each part is located in proper sequence and in proper place on the page). 2. Content – Easy to read, is well written, has a logical flow, is a good summary 3.Follows generally accepted rules of English -- good grammar, spelling, good sentence structure, etc. 3. Citations -- Follows APA Guidelines 4. Selection of article - Article is on topic & is informative

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Guidelines on HOW TO Successfully Find, Read, Summarize, and then Write Abstracts