Controlled vocabularies and authority control in the digital environment

“Write a research paper on one of the topics listed below. This paper can either be considered as an introductory survey of the topic or a more in-depth consideration of a particular aspect of the topic. These are all current topics, so at least some sources should be dated within the last two years. You do not need to inform me as to which topic you are choosing.

I recommend using Academic Premiere and/or Library Literature and Information Science for your search databases. Sources may also be available on some or all of these topics at the Library of Congress, OCLC, and IFLA websites. A minimum of five sources is required. Wikipedia and similar sites will not be accepted as sources. If you wish to use material from blogs or position papers posted on the web, please clear the source with me before using it. No more than two out of the minimum five sources can be blogs. If you want to use more sources than that, we can negotiate.
The paper should be a minimum of 1800 words and should not be greater than 2700. The word count excludes abstracts and the bibliography/resource list. The paper must be double-spaced. Use APA style for citations and bibliography; incorrect use will result in a lower grade. Common mistakes include not double-spacing entries in the bibliography, mixing APA and MLA styles, not following the capitalization rules for titles (not what you expect), and using complete first names rather than initials. Grammar mistakes will also lead to point deductions. Papers are to be completed in Microsoft Word and submitted. If you wish to reproduce charts, MARC records, XML formats, etc. to illustrate your paper, you may certainly do so, but this material should be considered to be in excess of the basic word requirement given above. Do not submit as a pdf.

No more than 15% of your paper should be direct quotes. Part of the evaluation of a graduate-level paper has to do with your instructor’s assessment of how well you can paraphrase, summarize and synthesize various sources into a coherent, well-written paper, as this is an indication of your understanding of the topic. Sources that are paraphrased, as well as direct quotes, must be cited. If you use material from another source, it must either be paraphrased or put in quotation marks as a direct quotation and it must be cited. Failure to follow these rules will result in a failing grade on the paper