Academic Research

“When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.”

1 Corinthians 13:11

Research vs. Academic Research

WHAT DO COLLEGE PROFESSORS LOOK FOR IN STUDENT WRITING?

College Faculty Survey

1. overall grasp of subject 2. organization 3. precision of focus 4. thesis statement 5. logical summary 6. paragraph development 7. spelling and punctuation8. bibliography (quantity)

9. citations (form and use) 10. use of direct quotes 11. appearance of paper 12. quality of writing 13. synthesis of material14. evaluation of sources15. grammar

Priorities for evaluating research papers:

Goodin, M. E. (1991, Fall). The Transferability of Library Research Skills from High School to College. School Library Media Quarterly, 20(1).

Using Wikipedia for Academic Research

Developing search terms

1. Write down your initial topic as a phrase, a sentence or a question.

My Topic: Corporate FarmingQuestion: How does corporate farming impact

the quality of food we eat? (may change question as I begin my research)

Developing search terms

Use wikipedia, a database, an encyclopedia or video to find keywords and phrases and begin to plan your research

1. Main idea words | Which words represent the main ideas of your topic?

2. Synonyms | List synonyms of your keywords3. Related terms | List important ideas that are related

to your keywords4. Context | Are there important people, places, events

or time periods to help place your topic in context?

Using the Free Web

“Every man should have a built-in automatic crap detector operating inside him.”

Ernest Hemingway, 1954

The CRAAP Test

Currency?Relevance?Authority?Accuracy? Purpose?

DAY 2

Finding Academic Sources

Review

1. Academic research requires a higher standard.

2. Use Wikipedia only as a starting place. Get the big picture, references and important names and places

3. Don’t forget the CRAAP test (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, purpose)

Don’t waste time with Google Basic Search

Google Advanced Search

Click on the gear thingy to get to Advanced Search

Use it to NARROW your Search

Put several words related to your topic here

Put a search phrase here

Narrow here by reading level, domain, etc.

Experiment with different search terms!

Why use Databases?

1. Easy to search (ALWAYS USE ADVANCED SEARCH)

2. Vetted, high quality information3. Citations done for you!

BTW – Check out EasyBib app

Databases

• NTPS Libraries: http://www.nthurston.k12.wa.usSIRS Researcher, Proquest, eLibrary

• Timberland Library: www.trlib.orgDatabases and web resources

• SPSC: http://www.spscc.ctc.edu/libraryElectronic Reference, databases, eReserves

• WWU: http://library.wwu.edu/Reference databases, library guides

“If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Isaac Newton