Framing the Context:Topic Development & Specialized

Database Search

Elizabeth McKeigue & Nicole Branch

Santa Clara University Library

Image courtesy of flickr user Jeff Babbitt

Objectives• Practice a model to help develop

assignment topics

• Become familiar with library resources for popular and scholarly sources

• Develop a strategy for searching for sources for your assignment

Image courtesy of flickr user Kirsten Pauli

Developing Your Topic

Topic -- Question -- Significance

Image courtesy of flickr user D. Robert Wolcheck

Choosing Your Topic

• An interesting subject that came up in class

• Something you are passionate about

• A topic you would like to learn more about

Image courtesy of flickr user Evelyn Flint

Assignment Parameters

• Religion & media

• New media (2006-Present)

• Extend or add to something that came up in class

Image courtesy of flickr user Evelyn Flint

Warm up

• Write down your topic as it currently exists

• If you don’t have a topic yet, write down a topic related religion and new media

Developing Your Topic

Topic -- Question -- Significance

Topic

Social Media & Religion

Focus your topic

• If you can state your topic in 2-3 words, it is too broad.

• Narrow your topic by adding focus:Specific community/religion

Type of media

Religious practice

Examples

• Specific Community

» United States; Christians

• Type of new media

Twitter, Facebook, blogs

• Religious practice» Prayer; Proselytizing

Topic

Social Media & Religion

• Use of prayer on Twitter by geographically dispersed people

Discussion

• Describe your primary topic to your neighbor.

• Integrate a context to develop your topic.• Specific community/religion

• Type of new media

• Religious practice

Developing Your Topic

Topic -- Question -- Significance

Question

• Add a question such as how, why, or in what ways to your topic.

• In what ways does prayer on Twitter impact community identity among geographically dispersed people?

Common Mistakes

• Avoid questions with one word answers or that cannot be answered within limits of the assignment.

• Avoid questions that are too vague or cannot be answered with research.

• Avoid speculation without evidence.

Question

• In what ways does prayer on Twitter impact community identity among geographically dispersed people?

Writing Reflection

• Transform your topic into a question.

• Incorporate

How

Why

In what ways

Developing Your Topic

Topic -- Question -- Significance

Significance & Inquiry

• What do you want to explore?

• My research will explore ….. Because I want to find out…

Twitter, Prayer & Community

My research will explore

The use of prayer on Twitter by geographically dispersed people

Because I want to find out» In what ways character length, use of hashtags, and

sharing/responding to prayer impacts the community identity of geographically dispersed people.

Significance

My research will explore

The use of prayer on Twitter by geographically dispersed people

Because I want to find out» In what ways character length, use of hashtags, and

sharing/responding to prayer impacts the community identity of geographically dispersed people.

Inquiry

My research will explore

The use of prayer on Twitter by geographically dispersed people

Because I want to find out» In what ways character length, use of hashtags, and

sharing/responding to prayer impacts the community identity of geographically dispersed people.

Reflection & Discussion

Apply significance to your question

• My research will explore___________ because I want to find out ___________.

Thesis Statement

My thesis is that the brief nature of tweets, use of hashtags to join together individuals with common interests and social interaction of retweeting can create a global community identity for those who pray on Twitter.

Significance & Inquiry

Explore:

• Hashtags

• Character length

• Retweeting/social interaction

Questions?

Identifying Keywords

My research will explore

The use of prayer on Twitter by geographically dispersed people

Because I want to find out» In what ways character length, use of hashtags, and

sharing/responding to prayer impacts the community identity of geographically dispersed people.

Identifying Keywords

My research will explore

The use of prayer on Twitter by geographically dispersed people

Because I want to find out» In what ways character length, use of hashtags, and

sharing/responding to prayer impacts the community identity of geographically dispersed people.

Finding Primary & Secondary Sources

• Explore the difference between primary & secondary sources

• Identify & explore popular sources

• Find scholarly articles

• Go to the guide, answer the poll questions

Primary & Secondary Sources

Primary & Secondary Sources- Joshua Vossler: https://vimeo.com/81897081

In Class Activity 1

• Work in pairs

• Go to list of Primary Source Resources

• Choose one of your topics and look for an article or other source that provides context or background to your research question

• Share with the class

In Class Activity 2

• Work on your own

• Go to list of Secondary Source Resources

• Look for an article or other source on your topic that provides analysis or a response to your research question

• Answer the questions in Poll 3. I will share your responses with Prof. Drescher and you will get class participation credit

Questions?

Any last questions about

• Topic Development

• Database searching

• Search strategy

• Primary & secondary or popular & scholarly sources

Nicole Branch

Instruction Librarian

nbranch@scu.edu

408.554.5436

Thank you to flickr users:Jeff BabbittEvelyn FlintKirsten Pauli& D. Robert Wolcheck

for sharing their work through creative commons license.

Elizabeth McKeigue

Instruction Librarian

emkeigue@scu.edu

408.554.6927