This document provides guidance on the research process for a paper about hip hop music. It instructs students to create a thesis statement and research questions, and outlines strategies for searching relevant databases and selecting appropriate sources. Specific tips are offered on developing concepts, using Boolean operators and truncation, finding peer-reviewed articles, and accessing resources through the CSULB library systems. The goal is to equip students with the tools to conduct successful research for their hip hop paper.

1. HIP HOP RESEARCH
AFRS 255
Susan Luévano
Ethnic Studies Librarian

2. Create a thesis statement
Break down your thesis statement by concept
Develop research question(s)
Use
 Boolean operators
 Truncation
Select & use research databases
 Music Index
 RILM Abstracts of Music Literature
 Black Studies Center
 Academic Search Complete
 COAST
Cite research
Can be circular
THE RESEARCH PROCESS

3. Create a research statement
Hip-hop is the most multicultural of
popular musical forms.
Define the questions
– Ask why????
RESEARCH PROCESS

4. Use prompts
Who
What
Where
Why
When
How
HAVING TROUBLE CREATING RESEARCH
QUESTIONS?

5. RESEARCH PROCESS
Identify key concepts
Hip-hop is the most multicultural of popular musical forms.

6. Find articles
where all
concepts
appear.
Hip-hop
Multicultural
Or
Globalization
RESEARCH PROCESS

7. AND narrows a search
 both variables must appear in same citation
 terms are different in meaning
 example: “Hip hop AND Police Brutality”
OR broadens a search
 terms are similar in meaning
 either term may appear in the record
 example: “hip hop OR Rap” “globalization OR multicultural”
BOOLEAN OPERATORS

8. Searches root word to retrieve
variant endings
Music*
Musician
Musicians
Musically
Musicality
TRUNCATION
*

9.  Based on research & written for a discipline
scholars
 Content & research model are reviewed by other
scholars
 In-depth analysis
 Extensive bibliography
PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS

10. FINDING PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES
Http://www.csulb.edu/library
 1) OneSearch: Test or preliminary search for journal articles, books & more
 2) Structured Databases by topic/title

11.  Digital front door to library resources
 Does NOT replace structured databases
 Only looks at a selected slice of library holdings
ONESEARCH@ CSULB

12. MUSIC INDEX
Most comprehensive database of music-related articles
Covers all styles and genres of music
International
Scholarly journals
Availability=

13. RILM, ABSTRACT OF MUSIC LITERATURE
Books, journals, conference papers, dissertations, book
chapters, bibliographies, catalogs, media materials, and all forms of scholarly
communication related to music.
Availability =

14. BLACK STUDIES CENTER
 Scholarly essays accompanied by
timelines, images, and film clips.
 Mostly full-text
 Availability=

15. NO DIRECT LINK TO FULL-TEXT

16. NEED FULL-TEXT ARTICLES NOT AVAILABLE:
USE BEACHREACH

17. Boolean Operators
Truncation
SEARCH STRATEGIES
LIMIT - Scholarly
LIMIT – Pub years
LIMIT - Language
SUSAN LUÉVANO, CSULB, UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

18. FINDING BOOKS, MEDIA & GOV DOCS
Http://www.csulb.edu/library
 1) Test or preliminary search for journal articles, books & more
 2) Library Catalog -COAST

19. Set up your Library Password/PIN
SUSAN LUÉVANO, CSULB, UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

20. Lib Answers (Chat Service)
 http://csulb.libanswers.com/
Reference Desk, 1st floor
Susan Luévano
 Email is best!
 Susan.luevano@csulb.edu
 U Library, 4th floor, room 116
 Office hours: Wednesday, 2:00 – 4:30 or by appointment
STILL NEED A LITTLE HELP?