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Starting Your Research
Educational Psychology and Counseling 602: Research Principles
Library Instruction2006-07
What is the assignment?
Paper, Presentation, Annotated Bibliography?
Due date: Inter-Library Loan deadline?
Citation Style? APA? MLA? Types of publications?
Basic Search Strategies: Information Need & Resources
Recent events or research? Newspapers, magazines, journals, or the
Internet Current, general information?
Popular magazines and newspapers Current, in-depth information?
Scholarly journals, conference proceedings Overviews, background or definitions?
Encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, or reviews
More detail? Books
Types of Periodicals:Scholarly Journals
Authors are authorities in their fields. Articles are usually reports on scholarly
research. Articles must go through a peer-review or
refereed process. Scholarly/academic articles that are read by academic or
scholar "referees" for advice and evaluation of content when submitted for publication. Referees recommend to the editor/editorial board whether the article should be published as is, revised, or rejected. Also sometimes know as "peer-reviewed" articles.
Types of Periodicals:Scholarly Journals (cont.)
Authors cite their sources in endnotes, footnotes, or bibliographies.
Articles use jargon of the discipline. Individual issues have little or no
advertising. Illustrations usually take the form of
charts and graphs.
Types of Periodicals: Trade Publications
Authors are practitioners Authors often mention sources, but
rarely formally cite them in bibliographies.
Intended audience are fellow practitioners.
No peer review process. Articles give practical information. Some illustrations are included Authors use jargon of the field.
Types of Periodicals: Popular
Magazines and Newspapers
Authors are magazine staff members or free lance writers.
Authors often mention sources, but rarely formally cite them in bibliographies.
Issues contain numerous advertisements. No peer review process. Articles are meant to inform and entertain.
Illustrations may be numerous and
colorful. Language is geared to the general adult
audience (no specialized knowledge of jargon needed).
Reference Works:Subject vs. General
When enough information about a research track has been accumulated, it will begin to be integrated into reference books. For example: Subject encyclopedias: Encyclopedia of Psychology
Places important research projects or tracks into a disciplinary perspective, identifying the role each plays, historically and intellectually, in the psychology professions.
General encyclopedias: Encyclopedia Britannica Takes a broader view, attempting to articulate the
impact of the most important research projects on society as a whole.
Reviews
A research review, or literature review,
is a piece of writing that summarizes and evaluates the significant research to date on a given topic. Contrast this with a research report, which emphasizes the methods and results of one particular study, not a whole area of research.
Publications such as the Annual Review of Psychology compile articles that summarize a topic and provoke discussion that will lead to new research activity. Occasionally, an entire book may serve as a review for research tracks especially rich with activity.
Conference Proceedings
Published papers presented at conferences, meetings, etc. Conference papers are not always published, or
published in a timely manner! Peer-review process similar to scholarly journals Presenters can be scholars or practitioners Use the jargon of their discipline Intended audience are other scholars or practitioners Often the first formal report of someone’s research Authors cite their sources Papers are often revised and published later in journals
or books.
Evaluating Print Resources
Every book, periodical article, or other published resource should be evaluated to determine its quality and its relevance to your topic and the nature of your assignment.
Use the criteria below to help you evaluate resources.
Authority Content & Coverage Timeliness Accuracy Objectivity
Evaluating Internet Resources
Types of Web Sites: the URL is a key
.gov
.edu.org.com
Apply the same criteria:
AuthorityContent & CoverageTimelinessAccuracyObjectivity
World Wide Web sites come in many sizes and styles. How do you
distinguish a site that gives reliable information from one that gives
incorrect information? Below are some guidelines to help.
Internet as Interface vs. Internet as Source
Internet Explorer or Netscape Interface: Access databases and online journals
E.g.: PsycINFO, ERIC Usually require subscription
Exception: ERIC Wizard Usually have print counterparts
Equivalent authority and reliability Source:
Access using free search engines E.g.: Yahoo, Google, HotBot
Originated on the Internet Anyone can put up a Web page! Critical evaluation more important
Basic Search Strategies:Use Databases to Find Resources
Books – Online catalog CSUN Library Online Catalog
Articles – Indexes, abstracting services, or full-text databases Find Articles and More
Web pages – Search engines Internet Search Tools
Basic Search Strategies: What Is a Database?
Collection of records composed of fields which are searched for words and phrases using Boolean Logic. For example:
Basic Search Strategies: Words to Search by
Keyword = natural language
Subject terms/descriptors = controlled vocabulary
Basic Search Strategies: Boolean “OR”
Where either term (or both) are present
Broadens the search
teenagers OR adolescents
Basic Search Strategies:Boolean “AND”
Where both terms are present
Narrows the search
teenagers AND academic achievement
Basic Search Strategies:Boolean “NOT”
Where first term is present but second term is not
Narrows the search
counseling NOT therapy
Basic Search Strategies: Truncation
Symbol: *, !, ?, etc. (varies by database) Replaces one or more letters at the end of
a word or root word Truncation = OR
Example: teen! retrieves teen OR teens OR teenager OR teenagers
However: cat* retrieves cat, cats, but also cataclysm, catacomb, catalepsy, catalog, etc.
Use OR instead to maintain meaning: cat or cats