Image from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sylviaduckworth/50500299716

In this module we will discuss information privilege and open access (OA) resources. This module consists of the following activities:

1. Read and comment on an opinion article (2 points)
2. View Information Privilege/Open Access Tools Video
3. Use & write up your experience with open access tools (8 points)

What is Information Privilege? (2 points)

1. Read this opinion piece from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/opinion/yes-we-were-warned-about-ebola.html?_r=0
2. Post on the Padlet below your response to the question “What is Information Privilege?”

Information Privilege and Open Access Tools

Watch this video lecture on Information Privilege & Open Access. It is important to understanding the tools you’re going to use for the next part of the module, plus, former students have told me that this module was super eye-opening!

For accessibility purposes, I have attached a PowerPoint version of this below, along with the notes that relate to each slide.

Information Privilege slides_Fall22.pptx

Open Access Tools (8 points)

After reading the article and viewing the video, choose two different tools or resources you learned about and use them. For example:

• In CUNY Academic Works, look up one of your professor’s names as an author and see if you can find one or more of their publications (Hint: try one of your professors for this class)
• Try to find an Open Access version of an article you are using for another class by using the OA button
• Search for research articles for another research project using one of the subject repositories or the DOAJ
• Use PubMed to look for research on the coronavirus
• Use ERIC to find research about online/remote classroom instruction
• Choose any other tool or task that looks interesting to you – if you’re working on a project for another class this is a good opportunity to test out something new

You can also come up with your own ideas for ways to use these resources. The above are just examples.

Then, create a brief write-up of your experiences using these tools. Your write-up should include the reason why you chose each tool you used, the steps you took when using them, and what you discovered about the process, along with any commentary you have about your experience.

Post under the column for each of the two tools you choose. If you choose one not listed here, add it to the “Your choice” column. Every student should have two posts on this Padlet when we are all done.

Lesson adapted from: Young, Jessea. “Open Access: Strategies and Tools for Life after College .” CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2018. https://www.projectcora.org/assignment/open-access-strategies-and-tools-life-after-college.