Research for Graduate Students

1. Research for Graduate Students Asa H. Gordon Library Savannah State University

2. Plan Research • Refine Topic • Start broad then refine or focus ideas • Determine a list of questions to be asked and answered • Break thesis into basic elements • Become a Human thesaurus

3. Types of Information Needed • Background • Put your ideas into wider context • Historical • Make connections even with current topics • Statistical • Facts and figures to support argument, strengthen thesis • Quantify size or scope of issue • Image Oriented Documents

4. Match Information Needs to Appropriate Sources • Books • Background, in depth, survey broad subject • Periodical Articles • More specialized searching • More current information • Rare books or Manuscripts • Letters, Diaries • Ephemera • Minor objects of everyday life

5. Moving Research to the Next Level • May not find a source exactly matched to topic • Mission is to create Original research • Not replicating the current research • Put your ideas into a wider context • Historical • Social

6. Find and Retrieve Resources • Search Effectively and Efficiently • Familiarize yourself with terminology • Keep track of your research process

7. Find and Retrieve Resources • Catalog • Browse catalog like bookshelves • Virtually or in-person • Find similar items • Let serendipity guide your search • Use keywords • Use subject headings • Use Boolean searching • Combining terms to refine search

8. Find and Retrieve Resources • Research Databases • Look at a variety or combination • Take advantage of searching multiple databases based on subject area • Track keywords, descriptors or subject terms which yield best results

9. Types of Resources to Consider • Primary versus Secondary .

10. Types of Resources to Consider • Primary sources include those created by actual participants of an event or recorded reactions immediately thereafter

11. Primary Sources • Original Documents • Diaries, Interviews, Letters, Biography, Personal Narratives , News film footage, Official records • Creative works • Poetry, Drama, Music, Art • Artifacts • Pottery, Furniture, Clothing, Buildings

12. Types of Resources to Consider • Secondarysources include those created by someone not present when the event took place or removed by time from the event.

13. Secondary Sources • Reference books, • journal articles, • Textbooks, • Histories, • Criticisms, Commentaries, Encyclopedias

14. PrimarySources Diaries, Theses Conference papers Reports, Patents SecondarySources Review articles Scholarly books Popular literature Reference Books Dictionaries, Encyclopedias Handbooks SummaryPublications Guides to the literature Annotated bibliographies Tertiary Sources

15. Types of Resources to Consider • Popular versus Scholarly VERSUS

16. Types of Resources to Consider Scholarly- • Also called “Peer-Reviewed” or “Refereed” journals. • Written by scholars in the field • Articles contain charts and graphs, footnotes or endnotes, and references (bibliographies) citing the authors' sources.

17. Types of Resources to ConsiderPopular- • If you are looking for Current Events, Interviews, or Book Reviews • Shorter, non-technical articles often with photos and graphics • Reviewed by Publisher or Editor • The intended audience is the General Reader • Rarely cite any sources

18. Evaluate Your Resources Use CRAAP Test to ask questions about both PRINTand WEBresources • Currency Is the Information Timely? • Relevance Is the Information Appropriate? • Authority Is the Information Reliable and Credible? • Accuracy Is the Information Biased? • Purpose Is the Information Complete in it’s Coverage?

19. Evaluate Your ResourcesWhat to know about Web Resources • No person, persons or organization reviews the content of the Internet. • Pages are retrieved by search engines based on the page's content, not the relevancy or quality of the page. • Much information on the Web is not updated regularly. • There is little control over much of what is published, so that virtually anyone can create a web site on any topic. • When considering if your website is a good source don’t forget the simple Gut Test– trust your first impression after skimming a site’s homepage or content .

20. Organize your sources, articles and notes • Integrate information sources • Synthesize • Analyze • Use Prior Knowledge • Revise Hypothesis as necessary • Fill in the Gaps

21. Cite your sources properly • Give credit for sources of ideas • Avoid Plagiarism • Use appropriate citation format • MLA • APA • Chicago/Turabian

22. Research Cycle

23. What do you need to know? How will you use it? Where will you look? What words will you use? How will you share it? Is the information good? Have you learned anything new?

24. Final Notes • Make an outline • Review the literature on your topic critically. • DO NOT MAKE UNSUPPORTED ASSERTIONS. • Present the evidence, as specifically as possible, that applies, and evaluate its relevance. • The only statements not attributed to an author(s) should be based on your own first hand experience, conclusions and criticisms. • Present Real Data, Include tables and figures. • Always go to the original source after using review articles and texts. • Keep direct quotes to an absolute minimum. • When not quoting, paraphrase succinctly. • Proof read AND have someone else read your paper. Adapted from: Dr. Jim Bindon , Anthropology Dept., University of Alabama http://www.as.ua.edu/ant/bindon/ant570/pap_rule.htm#top

25. Remember: The best resource is a human resource IM your questions using the “Ask-a-Librarian” link Call or Stop by in person at the reference desk Asa H. Gordon Library