This document provides an overview of a library research workshop to help students learn how to find scholarly sources about religious traditions. It outlines a 4-step research process: 1) identifying keywords, 2) finding background information, 3) choosing appropriate databases, and 4) finding and organizing scholarly sources. The workshop instructs students to work in groups to brainstorm search terms for a religious tradition, conduct database searches, evaluate source characteristics, briefly describe found articles, and share their sources with the class. The goal is for students to acquire scholarly research to inform their understanding and analysis of religious traditions.

1. RSOC 9:
Ways of Understanding Religion
Library Research Workshop
Nicole Branch
Please sit with your
groups!
Image courtesy of Thomas Walden Levy.

2. Purpose
• Find scholarly research to better understand
the religious traditions you will be exploring
• Use knowledge to prepare for your
observations and analysis
Image courtesy of Flickr user wwwuppertal

3. Objectives
• Locate background information
• Distinguish scholarly sources from popular
• Access and evaluate scholarly sources
• Begin to describe your sources

4. Research Process
• Step 1: Identify keywords
• Step 2: Find background information
• Step 3: Choose the right databases
• Step 4: Find scholarly sources
• Step 5: Repeat
• Step 6: Organize and synthesize sources

5. Identifying Keywords

6. Activity 1
• In your group, select one of the traditions
you are interested in exploring
• Brainstorm searchable keywords
• Record these on the worksheet for this class
Image courtesy of Flickr user Christian Ostrosky

7. Finding Background Information
• Can help prepare you for your experience
• Can help narrow your topic
• Can provide additional keywords to prepare
you for search

8. Activity 2
• Go to GVRL and run a search
• Record related terms and synonyms you find
on the worksheet
• Record narrower aspects of your topic

9. Identifying Sources

10. Characteristics of a
scholarly source
• words "Journal," "Transactions," "Proceedings," or
"Quarterly,” in title
• written for professors, students or researchers. Clear
indication of authorship and affiliation/bio/scholarly
credentials
• articles are reviewed by a board of experts or "peer
reviewed”

11. • follow a typical format: abstract, literature
review, methodology, results, conclusion, with
footnotes and bibliography
• may include tables, graphs or illustrations to
support research
• very little advertising
Characteristics of a
scholarly source

12. Activity 3
• Go to Academic Search Complete and search
using your keywords
• Limit your search by ‘scholarly (peer reviewed)
Journals’
• Find a good one and record the information
about the article in your form

13. Describing & Synthesizing Sources
• Put sources in context of topic
• Narrow in on important points
• Bring sources together

14. Activity 4
• On the form, briefly describe your article
• Convene with your larger group
• Take turns explaining your source and why it is
useful to the group

15. Questions?
Nicole Branch
nbranch@scu.edu