English 1102 - Summer 2014 Research Paper Presentation

Strategies and Skills for YourMLA-Style Research Paper

English 1102 – Summer 2014

Maggie MurphyReference & Instruction

Librarian(Email address)(Phone number)

Learning Objectives

• Find and use library resources– Know what you need!– Know where to look!

• Understand the research process– Have a research strategy!

• Develop effective search skills– Boolean searches– Limiting results

Important Links

GHC Libraries Website:http://www.highlands.edu/library

Assignment Guide:http://getlibraryhelp.highlands.edu/

eng1102sum14

http://www.highlands.edu/library

http://getlibraryhelp.highlands.edu/eng1102sum14

http://getlibraryhelp.highlands.edu/eng1102sum14

Choose from GHC GIL Catalog, GIL

Universal Catalog, and WorldCat

Search for a title, author name, keyword, or

subject

Looking for physical books or media (such

as DVDs or videos?) Look for eBooks here

Looking for articles?

Keyword search here.

Find an individual journal by title

Find individual databases by

category/subject

Basic Research Strategy

1.Choose topic2.Do background

research3.Formulate thesis

4. Identify types of information needed

5. Identify where to look6.Make list of search

terms7.Locate sources

8.Use limiters9.Keep search log10.Record citations11.Evaluate your

findings12.Repeat if necessary

1. Choose Your Topic

An analysis of fiction by a contemporary author:

Sherman Alexie, Gish Jen, Jhumpa Lahiri, Alice Munro,

David Sedaris

2. Do Background Research

Locate and read/watch primary works

Find background information

Library Catalog

GHC GIL Catalog vs. GIL Universal Catalog

Finding & RequestingOff-Site Materials

GIL ExpressWorldCat

Interlibrary Loan

More Background Research

Research StartersCredo Reference

Wikipedia*

3. Start to formulate a thesis

What do you want to say about the author’s writing?

What will you be analyzing?Too specific? Too broad?

Need Thesis Help?

Talk to your instructor!

Check out Chapter 2 in Harbrace Essentials: “Planning and Drafting Essays”!

Look for thesis development tips in your Assignment Guide!

Stop by the GHC Tutorial Center! (http://www.highlands.edu/site/tutorial-center)

Basic Thesis Idea

“My paper will analyze how Sherman Alexie uses humor to examine the effects of violence and poverty on American Indians in his fiction.”

4. Identify what kind of information you need

Subject? Types of Sources?

Time Period?

Look Back at Your Assignment

General subject: Contemporary literatureTypes of sources:

Primary: Fiction (novels or short

stories) by Sherman Alexie

Secondary: Books, journal articles,

newspaper articles, web sources

about his fiction (at least 5!)Time Period: Recent publications

5. Identify where to look for the information you

needWhere do you look for books?

eBooks?Journal articles? Web sources?

Know Your Resources!

Books: GHC GIL CatalogGIL Universal CatalogWorldCat

eBooks: eBook tab(filter catalog results for “electronic”)

Articles: GALILEOLiterature & Literary Criticism

databasesWeb sources: Google Scholar (academic)

Google (general web resources)Request materials through ILL!


Books: GHC GIL CatalogGIL Universal CatalogWorldCat

eBooks: eBook tab(filter catalog results for “electronic”)

Articles: GALILEOLiterature & Literary Criticism

databasesWeb sources: Google Scholar (academic)

Google (general web resources)Request materials through ILL!

Know the Difference!

Books and journal articles found in library databases?

Credible information!

Know the Difference!

Regular Google web search?

Not academic,needs to be evaluated and

verified!

6. Develop a list of possible search terms

Identify key terms from your thesis

“My paper will analyze how Sherman Alexie uses humor to examine the effects of violence and poverty on American Indians in his fiction.”


“My paper will analyze how Sherman Alexie uses humor to

examine the effects of violence and poverty on American Indians

in his fiction.”

Synonyms and related phrases

humor: wit, “dark humor,” jokes violence/poverty: hardships, struggles, burdens

Use specific works as search terms

“Reservation Blues”“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time

Indian”Flight

Search Tip!

Boolean Operators

AND

Dog AND Cat

OR

Dog OR Cat

NOT

Dog NOT Cat

Search Tip!

Use Quotation Marks (“”) for Exact Phrases

Search Tip!

Use Quotation Marks (“”) for Exact Phrases

Search Tip!

Use Asterisk (*) for All Possible Endings

(This can be called “truncation” or a “wildcard search”)

human*

humans humanity

humankind

Write out search statements

“Sherman Alexie” AND humor“Sherman Alexie” AND humor AND poverty“Sherman Alexie” AND (humor OR jokes)(“Sherman Alexie” AND humor) NOT poetry“Reservation Blues” AND “dark humor”

The search in parentheses is done first!

7. Access library resources to locate books, journal articles, and/or credible web sources

8. Use search skills to limit your search to relevant

results

What is a limiter?

Places limit on a search so that it only returns certain kinds of

results

Search Tip!

What is a limiter?

Search Tip!

Books

Secondary sources!

Articles

GALILEO

Journal articles,searches everything at once

Subject Databases

Searches fewer journals or resources at a time

Literature databases collect information by author or work

Web Sources

Google Scholar searches for academic sources, such as journal articles

Use a Google web search to find an author’s official web site

Assignment Guide has information about web site evaluation

9. Keep a search log

Don’t waste time repeating searches,

know what combinations of terms you haven’t tried yet!

10. Record and Cite Findings As You Go

Search Tip!

Don’t forget to use the citation tool!

Copy & Paste into Works Cited

11. Read and Evaluate Your Materials

Do my sources answer my research question?

Can I support my thesis?

12. If necessary, perform additional research

1. Choose Your Topic

Important themes in a scripted (i.e., dramatic or

comedic) TV series (e.g., Mad Men, True Blood, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, The

Newsroom)

2. Do Background Research

3. Start to formulate a thesis

Basic Thesis Idea

“My paper will examine how themes of capitalism and sexism shape the

narrative of Mad Men.”

4. Identify what kind of information you need

Subject? Types of Sources?

Time Period?

Look Back at Your Assignment

General subject: Scripted television dramaTypes of sources:

Primary: Mad Men television show

(episodes or scripts)

Secondary: Books, journal articles,

newspaper articles, web sources

about Mad Men (at least 5!)Time Period: Recent publications

5. Identify where to look for the information you

needWhere do you look for books?

eBooks? Journal articles? Web sources?


Books:


Books: GHC GIL CatalogGIL Universal CatalogWorldCatInterlibrary Loan



eBooks:



eBooks: eBook tab(filter catalog results

for “electronic”)




for “electronic”)Articles:




for “electronic”)Articles: GALILEO

Subject Databases




for “electronic”)Articles: GALILEO

Subject DatabasesWeb sources:



E-Books: eBook tab(filter catalog results for

“electronic”)Articles: GALILEO

Subject DatabasesWeb sources:Google Scholar (academic)

Google (general web resources)

6. Develop a list of possible search terms


“My paper will examine how themes of capitalism and sexism shape the

narrative of Mad Men.”


“My paper will examine how themes of capitalism and sexism shape

the narrative of Mad Men.”


themes:


themes: motifs, “notions of”


themes: motifs, “notions of”capitalism:


themes: motifs, “notions of”capitalism: consumerism, “working class”sexism:


themes: motifs, “notions of”capitalism: consumerism, “working class”sexism: inequality, feminism, “women’s rights,” “women in the workplace”

Characters as search terms

Don DraperPeggy Olson


AND AND AND AND OR AND NOT


“Mad Men” AND capitalism“Mad Men” AND themes AND capitalism“Mad Men” AND (capitalism OR consumerism)“Mad Men” NOT interview“Peggy Olsen” AND sexism

7. Access library resources to locate books, journal articles, and/or credible web sources

8. Use search skills to limit your search to relevant

results

9. Keep a search log

Don’t waste time repeating searches,

know what combinations of terms you haven’t tried yet!

10. Record and Cite Findings As You Go

11. Read and Evaluate Your Materials

Do my sources answer my research question?

Can I support my thesis?

12. If necessary, perform additional research

Help with Formatting and Citations

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl

Avoid Plagiarism!

Plagiarism.orghttp://www.plagiarism.org

Ask a Librarian!

GHC Librarians are here to help!http://ask.highlands.edu

Any Questions?

Education

English 1102 - Summer 2014 Research Paper Presentation