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Gen/Basic Chem Lab

A guide to support Lab 1: Scientific Literature Assignment

Your Specific Assignment

You have been asked to find a mainstream science related news source that provides an opinion from an expert. Once identified, you are to find background information on the expert and locate a scholarly source written by that professional.

Locate a Popular Source

Popular, or main stream sources are those that are freely available to the public as reported through news agencies. This article, published by Fox news, talks about a species of cactus that has all but disappeared from its native habitat. It is based on the research of scientist and researcher, Jennifer Possley. Possley is credited with stating the following:

(burke, 2024, para. 9,10)

Examining the entire article gives us some background information on the quoted expert. Including their credentials along with the organization they currently work for. 

Use this information to find more about the expert. Utilize Google, Linkedin, and the organizations information to find if the expert is who they say they are.

Utilize Clues to Find Scholarly Work(s) from the Expert

Use the library databases to search for the quoted expert. Our expert, Jennifer Possley, has a presence on LinkedIn through their parent organization, and an online presence through Google.  Following LinkedIn and Google searches leads you to background information about Possley and their work. Some links provide citations for their publications. We can use those citations to look up their work in the Library databases, including the exact publication that was referenced in the Fox News article. 

 

Helpful sidenote:

Many of you will be choosing a recent science-based news article. Keep in mind that news agencies may be reporting on science news about published work that may not be available in our databases until publishers make digital copies available. The work that is reported on may be from a study that was published a month ago and not readily discoverable in our databases. Try using Google Scholar to see if that work is available through Open Access. If it is not available refer to your assignment which directs you to use another article from that expert.