the university writing center presents: conducting research
Post on 17-Dec-2015
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Overview“Where do I begin?” Research Questions and Thesis Statements
SourcesIdentify and EvaluatePrimary vs. SecondaryPrint vs. Online
Additional Resources
“Where do I begin?”
Start early and give yourself enough time to review your sources carefully.
Set a schedule for yourself.
Start with a working thesis or research question to guide your search. It may change!
Keyword Selection
Research QuestionAppropriate: “Why does ‘road rage’
occur and how can it be prevented?”
An inappropriate question makes a false assumption or has bias:
“Why are women bad drivers?”
Thesis StatementsEnumerative: Road rage occurs when a variety of
stress factors reach a breaking point resulting in aggression, and can usually be prevented by staying alert, obeying traffic laws, and being a considerate driver.
Umbrella: Road rage occurs when a number of stress factors result in aggression on the part of the driver, but the steps one can take to prevent it are straightforward and simple.
KeywordsChoose keywords that
are as specific as possible
Refine your search using the words which fit your criteria
Know Boolean Operators
Check the online catalog of your library to help find the most precise search terms
Boolean OperatorsANDORNEARNOT
Search Engines
Google, Yahoo, other web engines
Google Scholar
Library online catalog
Database Searches
Primary and Secondary Sources
In the humanities, primary sources are the texts you are writing about.
In the sciences, you will often work with experimental results or data discovered by others.
Secondary sources are reviews, critiques, observations, and opinions of primary sources.
Types of SourcesPrint sources, such
as books and journal articles.
Online sources, such as websites.
Video and audio recordings
Live performancesInterviews
*Image from: sitemaker.umich.edu/atc042706
“Advantages and Benefits of Print Sources”
Print Sources:Extensive publication processClearly stated authors and
affiliationsSource information tends to be
clearly marked (works cited)Tends to be less biasedAuthor qualifications are almost
always necessary to get published
Publication information is always clearly printed on the document
Evaluating Online Sources
Typically, “.org,” “.edu,” and “.gov” sites are credible and authoritative.
• “.org” should be copyrighted by organizations• “.edu” can be used for any school• “.gov” can be used for political parties
Evaluating SourcesApply the CRAAP test*:
Currency: When was the source created?
Relevance: Does it support your paper topic?
Authority: Who created the source?
Accuracy: How reliable is the information?
Purpose: Why was the source created?
*From: http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/evalsites.html
Evaluating Sources
Let’s try it out on the journal Shakespeare Studies:Currency: Contains articles from 1965-presentRelevance: Contains critical articles on Shakespeare’s
plays and poems, but little biographical informationAuthority: Published by Fairleigh Dickson University
PressAccuracy: All articles are peer-reviewed Purpose: Provides new insights into the works of
Shakespeare
“What about Wikipedia?”
Wikipedia fits the bill in all areas except for one: Authority.
Who is writing the material? Anyone and everyone.
Wikipedia entries are constantly changed and updated the more people use the site.
Locating Print Sources at James E. Walker LibraryVoyager online catalogueJournal Locator
print on the 1st floor databases available electronically
Databases atJames E. Walker Library
Research Gateway Databases A-Z IndexResources by Subject
Click on the Need Help? link to chat with a librarian.
Reference CoachJames E. Walker Library homepage:
Library Services and click on Reference and Instruction
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