GE80C StudentsGE80C StudentsWelcome to Welcome to

College Library!College Library!Esther GrassianEsther Grassian

College LibraryCollege LibrarySpring 2010Spring 2010

Handouts…

Agenda• 7 Research Steps • Topic Narrowing/Broadening• Identifying, Locating &

Evaluating Articles• Annotating & Citing

References• What will you do differently?• Questions Welcome!

Road to Research

Your Assignments...

Research Paper Steps1. Pick a topic2. ID topic limiters3. Brainstorm4. ID databases5. Keyword => Subject6. Evaluate Results7. Save Citations & Locate

Topic Narrowing/Broadening

Mental Mapping• Long Term Care Utilization by

Different Ethnic Minorities

Key Topic Words• Long term care• Utilization• Ethnic minorities

Related Words/Concepts

• Health care service*, social service*

• Health care seeking behavior*, participation, intervention*

• Ethnic*, minorit* [or specific ethnic groups—e.g., Latin*, Hispanic*, Asian-American*,African-American*, Black*]

Brainstorming Worksheet

• Write down your topic• Circle key words• Brainstorm 2 alternate search

words

Focus Your Topic!• Identify (Circle) Key Concepts• Brainstorm Related Words

Questions?

What’s a JOURNAL?

Academic Conversations

Evidence…

Peer Review/Referee Process

Empirical“Derived from observation or

experiment rather than speculation or theory.”

(Colman, A. M. (2006). A Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford; New York, NY: Oxford University Press.)

Questions?

Finding Databases• UCLA Library

– Frequently Used DBs– DBs by Subject– DBs A-Z

• GE80 Research Guide for Class

Sociological Abstracts• Topics: Sociology & Related Fields• Items: Journal articles, book

chapters, conference papers, dissertations

• Time: 1963-present

PAIS International• Topics: Social and political science,

social welfare, public administration, current affairs, & related topics.

• Items: Articles, books, conference proceedings, and government documents

• Time: 1972-present

Try it!

Don’t Pay for Articles!!!

Questions?

Citation Style Help• APA Publication Manual (print--

2001)• KnightCite (APA 5th ed.)• SourceAid (APA 5th ed.)

Review: Save Time & Effort!

• Your Assignments• 7 Research Steps • Topic Narrowing/Broadening• Identifying, Locating & Evaluating

Articles• Annotating & Citing References

•Think Critically!• and…

Ask Us!

What will you do differently?

Research Your Own Topics…