Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
So what is research anyway? It's not a set of steps 1-2-3 that you can check off and be done with. Research is more like a map that has you retrace your steps from time to time. You might need to go backwards-- not because you messed up, but because you learned something new about your topic or discovered a new direction in which to take your research. Retracing your steps is built into the research process!
Citation preview
Research Basics: Getting Started
S.O.S. Workshop
So what is research anyway?Develop
Research Plan
Do Background
Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Based on Scholarly Research Cycle, Capella University
Develop Research Plan
Do Background
Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Based on Scholarly Research Cycle, Capella University
Develop Research Plan
Do Background
Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Develop Research Plan
Develop Research Plan
• Understand your assignment– How long is it?– When is it due?– Does it require specific types of resources?
• Know where to go with questions– Instructor office hours– Library hours
Develop Research Plan
What should you do at this stage?
Develop Research Plan
Where can you get help at this stage?– Your instructor– Ask a Librarian– Research help books– Online research guides– Assignment Calculator http://ac.codlibrary.org
– Writing Center http://www.cod.edu/write
Develop Research Plan
A. 5-7 page paper on art– due in 2 weeksB. 5-7 minute persuasive speech on red light
cameras– due next monthC. 10 page paper comparing presidents Bush
and Obama– due next monthD. 2 minute presentation on diabetes– due in 7
days.
Which is the most manageable topic?
Develop Research Plan
Do Background
Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Do Background
Research
Do Background
Research
Why?
Do Background
Research
Sources for background information– Encyclopedias– Dictionaries– Your textbook and class readings– Your class notes
Do Background
Research
What should you do at this stage?
Do Background
Research
Where can you get help at this stage?
–Reference resources–Ask a Librarian
Do Background
ResearchWhat does Wikipedia have to say about your topic?
Develop Research Plan
Do Background
Research
Set a Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Create Search Strategy
• Is your topic manageable?– Is it too broad?– Is it too narrow?
• Are you asking the right questions?– Is your topic researchable?– Does it meet the requirements of your
assignment?
Create Search Strategy
Create Search Strategy
Why?Again…
What does a search strategy involve?• finding the focus of your question• understanding what the key concepts are• thinking about your understanding of these concepts• considering alternative terms to describe these
concepts• knowing where you should start looking• building on what you've found
Create Search Strategy
Does having a diverse workforce affect company profits?
Create Search Strategy
What are the keywords?
Create Search Strategy
Related Terms
• _____• _____
Broader Topic
• _____• _____
Narrower Topic
• _____• _____
Topic
Create Search Strategy
Related Terms
• _____• _____
Broader Topic
• _____• _____
Narrower Topic
• _____• _____
Diversity
A. BooksB. Academic JournalsC. WebsitesD. Encyclopedias
Create Search Strategy
Where do you look for…current or up to date information?
A. BooksB. Academic JournalsC. WebsitesD. Encyclopedias
Create Search Strategy
Where do you look for…comprehensive information?
A. BooksB. Academic JournalsC. WebsitesD. Encyclopedias
Create Search Strategy
Where do you look for…background information?
What should you do at this stage?
Create Search Strategy
Where can you get help at this stage?• Brainstorming• Background resources– encyclopedias, etc.• General websites• Writing Center• Ask a Librarian
Create Search Strategy
Develop Research Plan
Do Background
Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Find Sources
Find Sources
Before you begin searching, look at your assignment and ask yourself: How many sources do I need? What types of sources do I need? Are there any sources I cannot use? Does the information need to be current? How current? Do I need statistics or other data?
Find Sources
Types of SourcesReference
BooksArticlesInternet
Find Sources Are some sources better than others?
Broadcast & WWW News
Newspapers
Magazines
Journals
Books
Government Publications
Reference works
Find Sources What’s the best source for… information about something that
happened yesterday?
Broadcast & WWW News
Newspapers
Magazines
Journals
Books
Government Publications
Reference works
A B C
D
Find Sources What’s the best source for… in-depth information on a subject?
Broadcast & WWW News
Newspapers
Magazines
Journals
Books
Government Publications
Reference works
A B C D
Find Sources What’s the best source for… details of a clinical study?
Broadcast & WWW News
Newspapers
Magazines
Journals
Books
Government Publications
Reference works
A B
C D
Find Sources What’s the best source for… current statistics on a topic?
Broadcast & WWW News
Newspapers
Magazines
Journals
Books
Government Publications
Reference works
A B
C D
Find Sources
Resources for finding sourcesLibrary Catalog
Library DatabasesSearch EnginesBibliographies
Find Sources
What should you do at this stage?
Find Sources
Where can you get help at this stage?– Ask a Librarian– Subject Research Guides
http://www.cod.edu/library/research/– Research FAQs
http://www.cod.edu/library/research/faq.htm
Develop Research Plan
Do Background Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Evaluate Sources
Evaluate Sources
What are you looking for?
1. Information that is useful to your research
Evaluate Sources
A. Drug Legalization : For and Against. 1992.B. “How Pot Became Legal”. Fortune, 9/28/2009C. “Legalization of Marijuana: Potential Impact
on Youth.” Pediatrics, Jun2004.D. Legalizing Marijuana : Drug Policy Reform
and Prohibition Politics. 2004
Which source would you look at first?
Evaluate Sources
What are you looking for?
2. Information that is credible, unbiased, timely and correct
Evaluate Sources
Authority PurposeCurrencyAccuracy
Evaluate Sources
A. Facebook’s FAQ pageB. “Facebook’s Privacy Policy” New York
Times, June 12, 2008.C. "Criticism of Facebook," WikipediaD. “Facebook Privacy Policy Explained”
Huffington Post, September 1, 2010
What’s the best source?
Evaluate Sources
What should you do at this stage?
Evaluate Sources
Where can you get help at this stage?– Your assignment– Your instructor– Ask a librarian
Develop Research Plan
Do Background Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Put it Together
Put it Together
Know when to cite
ParaphrasingSummarizing
Quoting
From Capella University Library Research Handbook
Put it Together
You wrote:In the book, Gregor realizes that he is “a tool of his boss without brain or a backbone”.
A. Cite itB. Don’t cite it
Put it Together
A. Cite itB. Don’t cite it
You wrote:According to the report, 7 out of 10 students prefer green Universities.
Put it Together
A. Cite itB. Don’t cite it
You wrote:The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the only one that has been repealed.
Put it Together
Know how to cite
– What format is your instructor requiring? APA? MLA? Chicago Style?
– Incorporated research requires in-text citation and complete citation in a reference list or bibliography
Put it Together
What should you do at this stage?
Put it Together
Where can you get help at this stage?– Library’s Citing Sources page – NoodleBib– SOS workshops on APA and MLA citing– Your instructor– The Writing Center– Ask a Librarian
Develop Research Plan
Do Background Research
Create Search Strategy
Find Sources
Evaluate Sources
Put it Together
Based on Scholarly Research Cycle, Capella University
