ICSP: The International and Comparitive Social Policy group

International and Comparative Social Policy web-research paper

Student assignments based on this exercise can be submitted to the ICSP (email to icsp@sheffield.ac.uk) for review. Accepted papers will be published on the website and authors will receive a book token to the value of £25.00

Task
Using only on-line resources, develop a critical evaluation of one aspect of international and/or comparative social policy. Summarise the strengths and limitations of the electronic resources available relating to your chosen topic.
(3,000 words)

Aim
This exercise can be used and adapted to meet specific subject content learning outcomes at all levels of undergraduate and postgraduate study. It develops skills in the use and appreciation of web-based resources as well as the more traditional information management and critical analysis skills required by essay based assessment.

Suggestions for completing the assignment

Topic:

In identifying a topic of interest, consider the breadth and depth of information likely to be available: Is the topic too specific? does the topic have international or transnational relevance? Is it likely that official data will be available to inform your writing?. If the answer to any of these questions is “no” then a rethink will be necessary. If the answer is “yes” then proceed!

Resources:

Identify on-line resources. These are available in a range of formats:
• documents (on-line books, reports, articles, etc.)
• statistical data (on-line statistical databases such as those provided by national governments and international governmental organisations)
• digital materials (videos, images, audio material, etc.)

Organise your electronic resources. You will need to file and/or store materials and/or reference details. In order to properly cite the sources used, you will need to ensure that as far as possible you can identify and list:
• the author/s (this may be an organisation)
• the title of the source
• the complete url of the page from which the information is taken
• the date on which you accessed the material

Refer to the guidelines produced by your library or learning resources team.

Writing

Writing this assignment is much like composing a traditional essay. There are however, some important issues to bear in mind in your discussion and conclusions:

• Resources - What resources have been utilised?
• Data – What types of data have been used and how are they presented? (tables, graphs, charts or images etc.)
• Conclusions – should reflect on the methodological issues involved in writing a paper based on on-line resources.

Advice on the use of on-line resources

In order to develop an appreciation of the relative quality of web-based resources and information it would be helpful to begin by reading the following:

Ashford, M. and Young, P. (2003) ‘The Internet and Web-Based Sources’ pp443-50 in P. Alcock, A. Erskine and M. May, The Student’s Companion to Social Policy, Oxford, Blackwell

Sharma, A. and Woodward, R. (2001) ‘Political Economy Websites: A Researcher’s Guide’ in New Political Economy, Vol. 6 No.1, pp119-30.

The ICSP website provides a good place to begin your web search:
http://www.globalwelfare.net