This document provides guidance on finding academic sources for a research topic. It outlines the following steps: revisiting how to evaluate sources; identifying topic areas and defining searchable keywords; identifying and searching relevant academic databases; and applying advanced search techniques within databases. Students are instructed to brainstorm keywords for their topics, select an appropriate database to search based on their subject area, and practice hands-on searches using keywords and advanced search options to find citations and full text of academic sources. Contact information is provided for any questions.

1. Finding Academic Sources for
Your Topic
Nicole Branch, Instruction Librarian
ENGL 2A
Image courtesy of Flickr user throgers.

2. Today we will…
• Revisit evaluating sources
• Identify topic areas for your food exhibit
• Define searchable keywords for your research topics
• Identify & search relevant databases for academic
sources on your topic
• Apply advanced search techniques
Background image courtesy of Flickr user Paree.

3. Image courtesy of Flickr user Amanda Wood.

4. Bibliography Mining
Boero, All The News that's Fat to Print: The
American 'Obesity Epidemic' and the Media

5. Refining Keywords
https://vimeo.com/85564795

6. Defining Keywords
• Broader terms
• Narrower Terms
• Synonym Terms

7. Volunteer Brainstorm

8. Exercise 1
Brainstorm Keywords

9. Finding the conversation
Image courtesy of Flickr user spyros papasyropoulos.

10. Databases & Disciplinary Sources

11. Image courtesy of Flickr user Christian Ostrosky
Identify a Database

12. Select a Database

13. Identify Subject Areas
• Example

14. • Using the guide, select a database to begin
searching
• Use your brainstormed keywords to get
started
• Practice advanced search options
Exercise 2: Hands-On Search

15. • AND/OR/NOT
• Document types
• Advanced search options
• Citations & permalinks
• Finding full text
Search Tips

16. Nicole Branch
Instruction Librarian
nbranch@scu.edu
x5436
Questions?