This document provides instruction for students on how to locate research articles for an assignment using online databases. It outlines a 7-step process for students to choose a topic related to renewable energies and economic development in emerging markets, identify relevant databases, develop search keywords, search the databases, and refine searches as needed to find 2-3 useful articles. The steps include narrowing the topic to a specific country such as Brazil or China, selecting databases like Academic Search Complete or JSTOR, using keyword combinations of the country, renewable energy terms, and economic development terms, and setting parameters like date range and full text availability.

1. Objective:
By the end of this session, each student will locate 2-3
articles to use for their research assignment.
Using Online Databases
to Access Research Resources

2. Today, you will...
1. Choose/narrow your topic;
2. Identify databases appropriate to topic;
3. Develop keywords for search;
4. Select database and set parameters;
5. Conduct search;
6. Review results, print/save articles (with citations);
and
7. Refine keywords and parameters and repeat steps
4-6 using a different database.

3. Step 1: Choose/Narrow Your Topic
Class: Economics
Topic: Emerging Markets and Renewable Energy

For this assignment, what do you need to know?
How are renewable energies impacting economic
development in an emerging market?

Identify the country on which you will focus. What are
your options?
Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

4. Step 2: Identify Databases Appropriate
to Your Topic
There are two ways to access the databases:
1) by
subject

5. Step 2: Identify Databases Appropriate
to Your Topic (cont.)
2) in
alphabetical
order, with
a description

6. Step 2: Identify Databases
Appropriate to Your Topic (cont.)
Here are some possible sources for your
research:
Academic Search Complete (EBSCO)
Gale
JSTOR
ProQuest

7. This is a critical step to limiting the number of results and
locating articles related to your topic.
This assignment has three keyword groupings:
1) Name of country ---> e.g., Brazil
2) Renewable energy OR ...
3) Economic development OR …
Step 3: Develop Keywords for Your
Search

8. Step 4: Set Parameters for Your Search
Step 5: Conduct Search

Only articles after January 1, 2013.

Full-text articles only.
Each database is a little different; you can set other
parameters based on the specific database. We will
use Academic Search Complete/EBSCO as an
example.

9. Step 6: Review Results, Print/Save
Articles (with Citations)
Caldeira-Pires, A., Da Luz, S. M., Palma-Rojas, S., Oliveira Rodrigues, T., Chaves Silverio, V.,
Vilela, F., & ... Maria Alves, A. (2013). Sustainability of the Biorefinery Industry for Fuel
Production. Energies (19961073), 6(1), 329-350. doi:10.3390/en6010329
Include DOI
or URL

10. Step 7: Refine Keywords & Parameters and
Repeat Steps 4-6 Using a Different Database

Continue until you have 3 articles that will
support your research efforts.

Ask for individual assistance as needed.

11. Additional Resources
To receive an e-mail with the links presented today, include your e-
mail address on the sign-in sheet.
Remote Access
Use your student ID and password to access HWC Library
resources—including databases—when you are off campus.
Purdue Online Writing Lab
An online guide to formatting papers and citing sources in APA
(American Psychological Association) Style.
Questions?
Call the library: (312) 553-5760 or contact us via e-mail using the
contact form on the library home page.

12. Presentation (for demonstration purposes only) by:
Megan Murray Cusick, MLIS
mcusick@xxxxxx.xxx
August 21, 2015