How to use search engine for your research

uwoncacnUID: 83902

The following steps outline an effective strategy for finding information to support a research paper in the humanities and social sciences.

[B] Focus Your Topic[/B]
State your topic as a question.
List other questions that you must answer to address the topic.
Topic: What are the effects of television violence on children?
Questions:
How many hours of television do children watch?
How are violent children's programs identified?
How many acts of violence are in some typical children's cartoon?
Are there research studies that have observed children before and after watching a violent program?

[B] Find Background Information[/B]
Check the Stauffer Library Home Page for a guide to information in your discipline. Refer to encyclopedias for an overview of the topic and check dictionaries for unfamiliar terms. The research guide will list starting points such as key bibliographies in an area, and books that discuss how to conduct research in a particular field, how to write an essay, and how to prepare a bibliography.


[B] Prepare to Search Electronic Indexes[/B]
Underline the main concepts or keywords in your topic statement. Brainstorm for related words that express the topic in preparation for searching the electronic indexes.

Concepts:
television
violence
children

To find the effects of television violence on children use a keyword boolean search:
television and violence and children
By substituting related words for the main concepts, many other searches can be generated:
cartoons and aggression
television and aggressiveness
adolescents and fighting and television

[B] Find Articles[/B]
Search periodical indexes to find references to journal and newspaper articles. Some indexes are in electronic format and others are in print format. Ask at the Information Desk if you are not sure which index to use - it is a very common question!

Apply the same keyword strategies in electronic indexes that were successful in finding books. Use the subject index in print indexes.

TIPS:

Remember to record the complete article citation: Title of the journal, volume and number, year, pages, title and author of the article.
Some electronic indexes have a holdings message. This tells you the location of the article in the library. Before you search, find out if the index you will use has holdings messages. Reading the message saves a lot of time and frustration!

[B]Evaluate Your Information[/B]
Use this checklist to evaluate your sources:
Is it relevant to your topic?
Is the date of publication appropriate?
What are the author's qualifications? Educational background, past writings, experience.
What is the author's purpose in writing: to inform? to persuade?
How was the information obtained?
Is the information covered fact, opinion, or propaganda? Facts can usually be verified. Opinions evolve from the interpretation of facts.
Are the author's conclusions or facts supported with references?
Are there footnotes or a bibliography?
Is the work primary or secondary in nature?
How do critical reviews rate the work?
Who is the publisher? What group controls the publishing company?
Is it popular or scholarly?