RESEARCH STRATEGIES

Writing 2

Traci Welch MoritzPublic Services

Librarian/Assistant ProfessorHeterick Memorial Library

•Aid in constructing research strategy for finding resources for annotated bibliography

•Find resources in library catalog and databases available

• Everything shown today is available at Research Guides for ENGL 111.

WHAT TODAY IS ALL ABOUT

To get you

started

Take a look at your topic and identify key search terms, Ask a question.

Talk to your professor or a librarian for advice about search terms.

Learn about Boolean logic; the use of AND, NOT, OR to narrow or expand your search

See Research Guide for ENGL 111

WHAT DO I DO FIRST?

WHO CARES?

RESEARCH STRATEGY• Start big doing background reading

• Keep track of bibliographic citations to avoid trouble down the road.

• Create an annotated bibliography

• Allows you to see what is out there

• Helps you narrow your topic and discard any irrelevant materials

• Aids in developing the thesis • Makes you a better scholar

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Licensed state-wide, access free to Ohio students for the rest of your life!

• See: http://0-www.refworks.com.polar.onu.edu/

• Write n’ Cite interfaces with MS Word• Excellent Tutorials• Help available at Heterick • Research Guide for HONR 231 for

instructions on how to get your free-for-a-life-time account

MANAGING INFORMATION - REFWORKS

REFWORKS

BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION SOFTWARE

FIND INTERNET RESOURCES

Comprehensive search engines: • Alta Vista • Ask.com • Excite

Subject portals:

• Librarians' Index to the Internet

• WWW Virtual Library

Multi-engine searching: MetaCrawler VivisimoWIKIPEDIA

• Scholar.Google • Hotbot • Lycos • Wisenut

INTERNET TOOLS

WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

Use library resources to continue your background research.

FIND A BOOK∞POLAR

• Looks in several locations (usually subject, article title, abstracts or contents)

• Does not require an exact match• Generates comparatively large number of hits (not precise)

• Good if you are not familiar with terminology

• Look for the same or similar words which keep appearing

FIND A BOOK∞POLAR

•Looks in one place – subject•Usually requires an exact match between your term and a pre-set list of terms

•Precise•Can be used after keyword search has identified specific subjects

FIND A BOOK∞POLAR

Click on the “Find Similar Items” link found on each item record

• Materials owned by all Ohio colleges, universities, several public libraries

• Ca. 10 million items• Link from POLAR permits you to submit

requests. Available from Heterick home page

• Most requests arrive in 2-3 working days• No charge • Limited to 100 items at a time• MAY RENEW UP TO 4 TIMES

FIND A BOOK∞OHIOLINK

Google and Wikipedia aren’t intrinsically evil, just use them for the correct purpose in your research.

INTERNET TOOLS

Google Scholar

ONU buysFull-textdatabase

OhioLINKPermits

Google tolink to full-text

Google asksto link tocontent

ONU user sees licensed full-textarticles

Run Google ScholarSearch

Note: If working offcampus please see the “google scholar” tab at the Research Guide for ENGL 111

INTERNET TOOLS

• What? is the page/site about• Who? created and maintains this site• Where? Is the information coming from • Why? Is the information presented on the

web • When? Was the page created or last

updated• How? Accurate or credible is the page

From the University of Wisconsin Library, worksheet for evaluating web sites

CRITICALLY ANALYZING WEB SOURCES

What do I do next?

Use databases to find articles based on your search strategy

• Often tools for locating journal and newspaper articles

• Most are subject-specific – some multi-disciplinary

• Many give access to full text of articles

• Heterick has over 250

Research Tools∞Databases

• Over 20,000 journals indexed, most are full text

• Divided by subject area offered at ONU

• Begin with a general database, –Academic Search Complete–JSTOR

Research Tools∞Databases

FIND AN ARTICLE

• Periodical means the same as Magazine

Usually magazines are more “popular”

• JournalsScholarly or

ProfessionalPeer reviewed

See Research Guide for HONR 231 for this and other Handouts

A.Academic Search Complete, Masterfile Premier

B.JSTORC.Opposing Viewpoints

Research Tools∞Databases

GENERAL DATABASE

Scholarly journals, peer reviewed articles

Academic Search Complete/ Masterfile

Premier

GENERAL DATABASE

Scholarly journals, peer reviewed articles

JSTOR

GENERAL DATABASE

Opposing viewpoints

SUBJECT SPECIFIC DATABASE

• Use when you need a book or article that is not available online, not owned by ONU or available via OhioLINK

• No charge/ limit on requests• Most requests take 5-7 days to fill• Use ILL form on library web pages.

INTERLIBRARY LOAN (ILL)

• Contact me t-moritz@onu.edu• Make an appointment • Ask at the Reference Desk, 8-4:30 M-F

6-9p M-Th and 10:00-3:30 Sundays• Phone the Reference Desk – 2185• Contact us by E-mail reference@onu.edu

• Use Chat Help feature or the IM

QUESTIONS?