Standards addressed by this assignment: 1-4.
Learning Objectives:
Identify, evaluate, and use information from diverse sources in order to answer a clinical
question and suggested therapy objectives.
Integrate multiple sources of information on a disorder to write a summary and
treatment plan to be presented to both peers and clients
IL assignment:
1. Using your research topic, evaluate reference resources and databases (see the list
below) for the variety and quality of information obtained. Choose the two best
databases and turn in a summary sheet comparing the information that each of the
databases yields. Information that will prove useful for using the databases can be
found at www.lib.jmu.edu/communication/default.aspx (or possibly have them
meet with Judy for an introduction to searching research databases).
Databases: ComDisDome, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane, LEO and CSD
web reference resources.
Summary Sheet requirements:
 a list of common references from the two databases
 a list of references unique to each database
 a comparison of the two best databases
 a comparison of the sources from these databases with the those from a
google search of the same topic.
Assessment: Turn in the summary sheet in week three.
2. Identify and evaluate sources of information about your research top. Sources
should be diverse and must include at least one reference from each of those listed
below. In addition, at least half of your sources should be from the past five years
with at least two sources no older than one year. Other sources could include JMU
faculty, SLPs, community organizations, national associations etc (be creative).
Each source should be summarized on a single index card (or half sheet of paper)
with a short summary on the front and specific points pertinent to your goal on the
back.
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Journal articles
Chapters from books
Articles from a conference proceedings (may need to be an interlibrary
loan)
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Conversations or e-mails with/from a researcher or practitioner in the topic
area.
Assessment:
 Set up a meeting with me in week 5 to review identified sources. In this
meeting we will discuss the quality of your sources and assess whether you
have identified sufficient resources to answer the research (clinical) question.
 Turn in index cards in week 7. Index cards will be assessed based upon:
o Ability to summarize the source in your own words.
o Ability to extract the most important contributions the source makes
towards your goal (see below).
3. Write a summary of your disorder with a plan of treatment and clear therapy
objectives. The summary should be in three forms:
Written for your peers in APA format
Written for a client and/or parent to educate and inform.
Presentation to the class (or possibly posters).
Assessment:
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APA paper due the week before the final exam. It will be graded
based upon criteria posted on Blackboard (review my guidelines
and implement new ideas from workshop). The paper should
include an introduction of the disorder, review of recent findings,
current best practices, and suggested objectives for therapy that
integrates the variety of sources you have found.
The client summary should follow the same outline as the APA
paper, but should be written in accessible language for those
outside CSD. The summary for client will be graded based upon
feedback from three people outside of CSD (feedback forms
posted on Blackboard).
Presentation will be assessed based upon:
o Organization
o Clarity and appropriate use of text
o Effective use of tables and figures
o Ability to speak effectively and clearly
o Ability to keep within the specified time