This landing page is provided to supplement information for the LS 115: Exploring Elements of Leadership course. For this class, you will need to locate information that helps your groups explain a leadership theory and give specific examples to showcase the theory at work. This means not only being able to differentiate the types of information but, also, recognizing where to go to get the type you need. In addition, you'll need to go on to use that information in smart and ethical ways.
Because the study of Leadership is inherently interdisciplinary, you may have a tried and true research toolkit that you've fostered in your major courses. Feel free to rely on the skills you're mastering in those courses to inform your work for this project. If you have a database you already rely on, try it out! If you have a LibGuide from another librarian that you have found particularly helpful to you, use it. My job as the liaison librarian to leadership is not to remove tools from your toolkit, but instead to help you add more choices to your collection.
Needing research for an assignment is a common need on a college campus. What actual information you desire, however, is often determined by the assignment requirements from your professor. For this assignment, you are looking for scholarly sources that do two different things. One of the foundational development of the article. The second on an application of the theory to a particular context.
This assignment wants you to engage with the scholarly conversation surrounding your theory. Your theory did not come about in a bubble. The disciplines of the folks who formed the theory informed the development and critique of it. Through time the theory has informed the practice of leadership in a multitude of contexts. This likely makes sense to you, but how do you go about finding articles that examine the development of the theory and not just the same oversimplified version of the theory textbooks often offer us (think of your Komives reading)?
Komives cites many of the theorists responsible for the development of your theory. Consider the writing of your theory in this textbook to be an overview source that piques your interest. How do you find out more?
One of the best things about Google Scholar is the way it can help you follow the scholarly conversation forward from an originating article. Using the "Cited by" link you can find how the theory is being applied in a variety of contexts.
We have two different sections of this class this term, be sure to choose the document that includes both your professor's name as well as your theory name. Some sections have multiple groups with the same theory, be sure you're with your group members.
Wikipedia is GREAT! And contrary to what folks may have told you, the review process is more thorough than much that is published on the open web. The reason I tell students not to cite Wikipedia in their scholarly writing is not that it's flawed, but because it is an overview or reference source and that is not the need those types of sources fulfill. Encyclopedias like Wikipedia are excellent for doing pre-research. Use them correctly, and they can be a fantastic tool in your toolkit.
Google Scholar appeals to lots of folks because it is a free web search engine that appeals to our love of a Google Search. Instead of the entire open web, however, Google Scholar indexes only the scholarly literature portion of Google. This can include peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, theses and dissertations, and more.
Typically four parts, but always confirm your professor's requirements for the assignment.
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