This document provides guidance on researching for public speaking. It discusses why research is important for improving credibility and gaining new insights. It offers suggestions for generating topics, such as from readings, lectures, news stories, or personal interests. The document provides tips for developing research questions and refining topics, including identifying important terms and synonyms. It also offers guidance on using Boolean operators like AND and OR to connect or expand search terms. Finally, it recommends resources for research through the library website, including databases, the catalog, course guides, and search tips.

1. Research for Public Speaking Amber Prentiss, Reference/Instruction Librarian amberp@uga.edu

2. Why Do Research? New insights into familiar topics “Time has shown” “All the research says” and “Everyone knows that” ≠ proof Improves credibility

3. Generating Topics: Starting Points Readings Lecture Class discussion Presearching Daily life Personal interests

4. Generating Topics News story: For American youth, Labor Day report paints an even worse jobs picture (Christian Science Monitor, 9/2/11)

5. Generating Topics: Research Questions Informative speech: How are young adults’ employment prospects affected by the economic downturn? Persuasive speech: What should be done to improve youth employment rates?

6. Topic to Search How are young adults’ employment prospects affected by the economic downturn? What are the important terms? Synonyms? Search only for the important terms

7. Using the Library Site for Research libs.uga.edu Ask a Librarian Multisearch Articles and Databases (GALILEO@UGA) Library Catalog (Gil-Find) Course guides (Research Help -> Course Guides)

8. Using AND & OR youth AND unemployment youth OR “young adults”

9. Using AND & OR Use AND get fewer results connect different concepts only get results that contain both/all terms Use OR to get more results connect similar concepts get results that contain at least one of the terms

10. Using AND & OR unemployment AND (youth OR “young adults”)

11. Search Tips Use the advanced search Use * to expand root words unemploy* unemployed, unemployment Use quotes for “phrase searching” Set date range for time-sensitive topics