Library instruction for social science research methods

1. Clarke Iakovakis | Research & Instruction Librarian | UHCL Neumann Library
Library Research for SOCI/CRIM 4385 & SWRK 4363:
Research Methods
Only in New York courtesy Roman Kruglov on Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

3. http://libguides.uhcl.edu/SOCI4385mcmullen

4. Please turn your
clicker ON

5. How much experience do you
have doing research using library
resources in your research (e.g.
article databases, scholarly
books?)
a. I have not used library resources in my
research before
b. I have used library resources a little
c. I have lots of experience
using library resources

7. Outline for Today
• Academic Research
• Principles of Good Searching
• Searching in the Research
Databases & Library Catalog

8. Section 1:
Academic Research
Screenshot from Sherlock © British Broadcasting Company. Retrieved from Tumblr

9. A literature review is part of the published
work referencing related research, theory,
and background information
A review of the literature (literature search)
may be conducted to…
◦ understand a topic
◦ help you form a problem statement
◦ provide confirmation of an already
existing hypothesis
◦ analyze and interpret your own data
◦ gain exposure to past, current, and
ongoing research about a subject you are
exploring for research of your own
What is a literature review?

10. Authority in information
“Authority” is a type of influence
recognized or exerted in a community
Disciplines have acknowledged
authorities--scholars & publications
Approach “authoritative” perspectives
with informed skepticism.

11. What is peer review?
 A process for establishing authority of
scholarly research
 Experts review the original ideas to
certify the accuracy, validity, and value
of the results
Chubin, D. E., & Hackett, E. J. (2005). Peer Review. In C. Mitcham (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics (Vol. 3, pp. 1390-1394).
Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from
http://libproxy.uhcl.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id
=GALE%7CCX3434900491&v=2.1&u=txshracd2589&it=r&p=GVRL&sw
=w&asid=67e06d81c0d758521a67ba637722e45c

12. What are some sources of
scholarly information?
Books
Reference works
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Gray literature
Reports (government,
non-governmental organizations)
Theses & dissertations
Conference proceedings
Archival resources
“Computer laptop” by Steve Hillebrand, licensed under public domain

13. Periodicals (journals, magazines)
Peer-reviewed
Refereed
Scholarly
Academic
Trade
Professional
Practitioner
Industry
General
Popular

14. Author credentials (usually
universities; sometimes
industry or government)
Journal information (name, volume, issue, year)
Abstract
Literature Review
Methodology
Anatomy of a scholarly article
Tables and/or graphs

15. Dissect this citation
Brewer, R. M., & Heitzeg, N. A. (2008). The racialization
of crime and punishment: Criminal justice, color-blind
racism, and the political economy of the prison
industrial complex. American Behavioral Scientist,
51(5), 625-644. doi: 10.1177/0002764207307745
What is the…
 Journal name
 Volume number
 Issue number
 Authors
 Article title
 Page number range
 Year of publication
 DOI

16. How do I find an article
when I have a citation?
A. Google
B. OneSearch (library catalog)
C. A subscription database, such as SocIndex, Social
Work Abstracts, or Criminal Justice Abstracts

18. Brewer, R. M., & Heitzeg, N. A. (2008). The racialization
of crime and punishment: Criminal justice, color-blind
racism, and the political economy of the prison
industrial complex. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(5),
625-644. doi: 10.1177/0002764207307745

19. EXERCISE 1
Site Effects: How Reliance on Social Media
Influences Confidence in the Government
and News Media
 Author name
 Journal name
 Publication year

20. Section 3: Research
Databases
Screenshot from Wargames © United Artists. Retrieved from Tumblr

21. Why use a library when I have Google?
But wait…

22. tumblr
.gov Wikipedia
Subscription
databases
Password-protected
websites
restricted
access
$$$
Illegal
content
Classified
documents
Surface Web
Deep Web
Amazon
cnn
Google
ads

23. Off campus access to subscription
databases
If you have problems accessing
resources from off campus, call the
Reference Desk 281-283-3910
2001234567

24. Section 4: Principles
of good searching
On the Scent. Image licensed CC-BY on Flickr by stephen bowler.

25. • Explore a research area to focus on a research question1
• Identify the key concepts2
• List alternate keywords, synonyms, and related words3
• Join terms and concepts with appropriate Boolean
operators4
• Make use of database’s limiters & suggested subject
terms5
• Organize and cite your sources6
Search Process

26. One
• What are some factors that play a role in shaping
teenagers’ attitudes toward police officers?
Two
• How do socio-economic status, neighborhood crime,
education level, and previous interactions with police
officers shape teenagers’ attitudes toward police officers?
Three
• What is the influence of individual teenagers’ past contact
with police officers on their attitudes toward police?
1. Explore a research area to focus on
a research question

27. 2. Identify the key concepts
Teenagers
Police
Attitudes
Police contact
What is the influence of individual
teenagers’ past contact with police
officers on their attitudes toward police?

28. Teenagers
Adolescents
Youth
Juveniles
Delinquents
3. List alternate keywords,
synonyms, and related words
What is the influence of individual teenagers’ past
contact with police officers on their attitudes
toward police?

29. Police
Law enforcement
Peace
officers
CopsCorrections
3. List alternate keywords,
synonyms, and related words
What is the influence of individual teenagers’ past
contact with police officers on their attitudes
toward police?

30. Police contact
Police interaction
Police-
community
relations
Arrest
Questioning OR
interrogation
3. List alternate keywords,
synonyms, and related words
What is the influence of individual teenagers’ past
contact with police officers on their attitudes
toward police?

31. AND
OR
NOT
4. Join terms and concepts with
appropriate Boolean operators

32. juveniles
teenagers
adolescents
teenagers OR juveniles OR adolescents

33. Police OR law
enforcement OR
corrections
teenagers OR
juveniles OR
adolescents

35. Which statement below will
generate more search results?

36. Which search will find
FEWER results?
A.
B.
OR
teenagers
teenagers
police
police

37. m

38. Using a wildcard (*) will find a
larger number of results
compute
computes
computing
computation
computer
computability
comput* *

39. Using a wildcard (*) will:
A. Find MORE results
B. Find FEWER results
C. Find synonyms and related terms

40. • State your research topic1
• Identify the key concepts2
• List alternate keywords, synonyms, and related words3
• Join terms and concepts with appropriate Boolean
operators4
• Make use of database’s limiters & suggested subject
terms5
• Organize and cite your sources6
Search Strategies

41. Exercise 2
role of race in prison sentencing
Using the SocINDEX database, see how many articles you can find on the sample topic
below. Try experimenting with different keyword/term combinations using AND/OR.
For each search, write down
 Keywords/terms used
 Connectors (AND, OR) used
 Number of results

42. Feedback please!