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BEAMing Your Research
The document outlines a research strategy for students, emphasizing the importance of categorizing sources into background, exhibit/evidence, argument, and method. It provides guidance on where to find various types of sources, including scholarly articles, statistics, and encyclopedic entries, to support assignments. Additionally, it introduces the 'beam' method to structure a research paper effectively, linking specific source types to sections of the paper.
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BEAMing Your Research
- 1. BEAMing Your Research ShannonKealey Santa Clara University Library January 27, 2017 Lesson adapted from Woodward & Ganski, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee; Engaging Ideas by John C. Bean, and Joseph Bizup, Boston University. Image courtesy of Flickr user Evan.
- 2. Objectives • Plan &execute a search strategy • Evaluate sources for relevance & purpose • Discuss potential value of sources • Select sources for purposes of your assignment
- 3. Ways of CategorizingSources • Scholarly -------------------------- Popular • Primary --------------------------- Secondary • Good -------------------------------- Bad
- 4. Bizup’s “BEAM” • Background •Exhibit/Evidence • Argument • Method
- 5. Background “Any source, assumedto be noncontroversial, used to provide context… facts and information” Examples: • Encyclopedia articles • Historical background/facts • News anecdotes
- 6. Exhibit/Evidence Sources you analyzeor use as evidence. Examples: • Data you collect (interviews, surveys, field samples) • Raw data/statistics collected by others • Statements or arguments you analyze
- 7. Argument “The conversation ofcritical views and relevant scholarship” related to the topic. Examples: • Scholarly articles about your topic • Scholarly articles about potential solutions to your problem
- 8. Method “References to thetheories or methods the writer is employing” Examples: • Articles or technical information about particular research methodologies/approaches to your topic
- 9. What can youdo with these sources for your writing? •Provide context •Used to explore the problem or topic Background •Used to help you analyze the context and implications of your topic for public health policyExhibit •Understand how your topic has been treated by others •Identify gaps in current understanding of your topic •Identify various perspectives on your topic Argument •Provides validity for your recommendations and conclusionsMethod
- 10. BEAMing Your Paper Conclusion=Method Sources Body= Exhibit & Argument Sources Introduction= Background Sources Topic Development= Background Sources
- 11. BEAM Your ResearchTopic • Use the mind map to brainstorm topics and sources for each BEAM element
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- 13. Where will youfind these sources? • Look for encyclopedia entries , statistics, and cultural artifacts in: • Reference sources (CREDO, Gale Virtual Reference, Wikipedia) • Newspaper & Magazine Databases (New York Times; Ethnic NewsWatch) Background •Look for exhibit sources in: •Statistics Sources (Data-Planet, Statista, CDC, American FactFinder) •GoogleExhibit • Look for scholarly articles related to your topic in: • Academic Search Complete/OmniFile • Subject specific databasesArgument • Look for scholarly articles about methods and theories in: • Subject specific databases Method
- 14. Find Sources • Goto the research guide for this class • Using the suggested databases, find sources for your topic • Find three different BEAM sources • Complete the form • Send a copy to yourself
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