2. Research Sources
ENCYCLOPEDIAS SEARCH TOOL:
Provide short entries/articles for an LIBRARY CATALOG
overview of the topic and its main
ideas .
SEARCH TOOL:
PERIODICAL BOOKS
DATABASE Give more information for an in-depth
exploration of one or more aspects of
the topic.
(Example: Case study books, textbooks)
JOURNAL ARTICLES
Lengthy scholarly research studies on an
extremely focused aspect of a subject.
3. Research Sources
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Very brief news reports that focus on SEARCH TOOL:
current events or topics currently in the PERIODICAL
news. DATABASE
MAGAZINE ARTICLES
As short as encyclopedia articles, but
instead of an overview, magazines narrow
the focus to one or two specific aspects of
a topic.
4. Types of Resources
Scholarly Sources
It has abstract in the beginning
It may have a list of keyword
Article has a research problem
Mentions studies that have addressed the problem in the past
Has a purpose statement
Has research question and hypothesis
Uses qualitative, quantitative or mixed method approach to conduct research
Has a conclusion at the end
Has a bibliography or reference list at the end
Popular Sources: Magazine articles like Style, Newsweek, Time etc.
Newspaper sources: LA Times, Whittier Daily News etc.
Primary Sources: Original writings created at the time when the event occurred.
Secondary Sources: Sources that evaluate, summarize, analyze written by
experts from that field after the event has occurred.
Source:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/sections/history/resources/pubs/usin
gprimarysources/index.cfm
5. Magazines vs. Scholarly Journals
Magazines Scholarly Journals
Audience: Experts in the
field, students
Audience: Large group of
people Lengthy, technical language
Brief, non-technical language Author are experts in the field &
credentials are always listed
Author is journalist or
freelance writer Peer-reviewed
Look: Look: Graphs, charts, statistical
Graphics, images, advertising data, plain cover
No references References at the end
Examples: Examples: Child
Cosmopolitan, Newsweek, Sp Development, Social Science
orts Illustrated etc. Quarterly, Journal of Applied
Psychology etc.
6. Background Research
Background research is needed to understand your topic and
narrow it down.
Research Source: Encyclopedias like World Book Encyclopedia
(in the library) and eBooks like Encyclopedia Britannica and
Gale Virtual Reference Library for reference books online.
Go to Research Paper Topics on library homepage for topic
selection
Go to The Research Paper: Ten Steps to Researching it Right for
additional help.
Check out Library Catalog for books on topics for research
papers.
Is the information relevant?
Identify search terms
Is the information from a legitimate source?
7. How to narrow your topic:
Two steps:
Example:
1. Read Article in Encyclopedia such as
American Decades
Your answer will form
2. Ask a question about your issue.
your thesis statement, and the evidence will form
your paper or speech:
Topic: I want to (Too Broad)
8. Narrow Your Topic
Questions To Ask
Yourself
Who?
What?
Background Research Which?
When?
Where?
Why?
Source: OSU Tutorial from
liblearn.osu.edu/courses/english110/old%20stuff/narrow_topic.ppt
9. Example
Initial Topic : Magic—Harry Potter--
Literary Trends
Why? : Evaluate: Who? : Age;
Causes & Reasons Race; Gender
and Results &
Outcomes.
What? : Types:
Where? : Place: Romance, Adventure,
country, school, ho Murder
me, work, literature,
When? : Time Which? : Is
period: Current,
historical or period of
justified? Or worse?
life? Or Traumatizing?
10. Research Question
Mix and Match two elements together and form a
research question and form a topic of your choice.
Read the requirements of the assignment: How
many pages? How many sources are required?
What kind of sources are required?
What are the search terms and related terms that
you would use? For example: Cheating:
Dishonesty, fraud, deception, infidelity, lying etc.
11. Battle of
Gettysburg?
Join
History Army?
American
Civil War
Robert E Lee?
No
People!!
12. Start Research from the library
homepage
FIND BOOKS
FIND JOURNAL,
MAGAZINE, AND
NEWSPAPER
ARTICLES
13. Two Search Tools to Find Good
Sources
PROQUEST
RESEARCH LIBRARY
(Journal Articles)
LIBRARY CATALOG
(Books)
17. Gale Virtual Reference Library Database
for Background Info, Religion, Biography,
History & Multicultural Studies
18. EBSCO: For Articles
Through Online Databases link on http://library.riohondo.edu/
For Home Access: Login Access Rio, click on library tab and click
on EBSCO in the middle column.
19. Databases To Explore
• Gale Virtual Reference Library
• Proquest
• EBSCO
• CQ Researcher : For Current Issues
20. Where to Search
For Books: Library Catalog http://library.riohondo.edu/
For Scholarly Articles: Databases: EBSCO, Proquest, Gale Reference Library.
Off Campus Users: Access Rio
For Controversial Topics: Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context, Issues and Controversies
Check out Controversial Topics Books Link on the library homepage http://library.riohondo.edu/
For Current Issues: EBSCO, CQ Researcher, Proquest, Gale Opposing Viewpoints, Issues and
Controversies
For Biographies: Gale Biography in Context
For Historical Books : Google Books at http://books.google.com/
For Historical Newspapers: Google News Archives Search at http://news.google.com/archivesearch
For Statistics data & charts: Social Science Database
For Population Stats: US Census Bureau database
Legitimate sources: Google Books, Google Scholar
For Periodical Holdings List: Access from our library homepage. Direct url at
http://library.riohondo.edu/Research_Help/Periodical%20Holdings%20List%20-%202010-2011.pdf
(Check out the listings by subject in the end).
21. Citation Help
In the Library:
•Books: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research
Papers
•Handouts: Available at the reference desk &
given during orientation
Online:
•Son of Citation Machine
http://citationmachine.net/
•Easy Bib
http://www.easybib.com/
IMP: Always double check your citations
with the handbook or the handouts
given to you in the library. DONOT rely
on online citation generators for
correct and accurate citations.
