The Research Process

Why Do Research?

Research is a process made up of many small steps.

What Next?Steps in the Research Process

1. Define your research needs

2. Develop a research strategy

3. Conduct searches for information

4. Evaluate the resources that you find

5. Incorporate and cite the information you use

Defining Your Research Needs Make sure that you understand

your assignment. The next step in the process is

defining what you need. Then distinguish between different

types of resources to decide which to use.

Defining Your Research Needs

What is Your Assignment?

Instructors use words like argue, analyze, compare, or describe to guide your approach to a topic. For example, an assignment that asks you to argue requires you to take a position on an issue or idea and support your position with research.

What do you have to do in your paper?

Defining Research Needs

Which Library Resources?

Books

NCLIVE-Magazines

Internet- Web Sites

Newspapers

Defining Research Needs

BooksBooks are important resources for Research

Controversial topics are covered in these book series:

At Issue Contemporary Issues Contemporary Issues Companion Current Controversies Opposing Viewpoints Series

Use the Online Catalog to locate Books

Defining Research Needs

Magazines Magazines or periodicals supply helpful

information about general interest issues and current events.

Use NCLive to locate magazine and

newspaper articles.

Defining Research NeedsNCLIVE

NCLIVE is a group of databases that provide access to articles from over 9,000 newspapers, journals, magazines and encyclopedias, indexing for over 20,000 periodical titles and access to over 22, 000 electronic books

It is a great source for your paper and for your other class assignments.

Defining Research Needs

The World Wide Web

Web sites are useful for researching cutting-edge issues.

Pro: Web sites provide up-to-the minute news and information about current events, trends, and controversial topics.

Con: Because anyone can publish anything on the web, web site information is frequently inaccurate or biased, and sometimes outdated..

2.Developing a Research StrategyDefining Your Topic

Crime and Law Discrimination Drugs and Drug Abuse Education Environment Health History Media and Communications Political Issues Popular Culture Psychology Religion Social Issues Technology Women's Issues Ideas from Faculty

Developing a Research Strategy Break down the main concept into smaller

concepts and think of keywords. If your topic is “Does watching TV cause

violence?”, break down your idea into at least two concepts.

CONCEPT 1 Media CONCEPT 2 Violence

Developing a Research Strategy

Think of SynonymsOften, there is more than one word that you can use to search for your topic

CONCEPT 1 - media Synonyms - television, mass mediamovies, mass communications

CONCEPT 2 - violence Synonyms - riots, aggression, violent behavior

3. Conducting Searches for Information

Next, form a Boolean search with your terms, or keywords.

There are three Boolean operators, and, or, and not.

Boolean operators are used to construct complex searches in a database.

They help make a search more accurate.

Conducting Searches for Information

Boolean SearchingExamples:

Television and violence Media and violence Violence and mass media Advertising and violence and Rap music and violence Or children and violence and effects

You may have to try many combinations to find the results that you need; you do not need to capitalize

Media ViolenceMedia and Violence

Conducting Searches for Information

Note!!! Important!!! Do not search using long phrases such as,

“How does advertising cause violence” Should cell phones be banned while driving? Does rap music effect the behavior of teenagers

in America?

REMEMBER --- Use KEYWORDS and combine them using - AND -

Conducting Searches for Information

First, Search the Online Catalog for Books Same process—break into concepts and

keywords CATALOG Search—television and violence Next try- media and violence Try series – Opposing Viewpoints Web-based catalog, Call numbers Inter-Library Loan (ILL)

Conducting Searches for Information

Library Web Pages

Check Finding Your Way Around the Library and Using the Library to do Research for tips

This Powerpoint Presentation is located under Using the Library to do Research for future reference

Explore library web pages for further information

Conducting Searches for InformationNow we are switching from books to periodicals – magazines/newspapersNC LIVE - Steps:

Type in keyword, or keywords Pick a Database Click on Full text Scan articles for relevance to topic Pull up article Print or e-mail to yourself Use information to cite

Conducting Searches for Information

NCLive – CQ Researcher Online

We will look at another database Click on Browse Resources Click on Business Click on CQ Researcher Online Put in search words Click on article that looks good Click on Pro/Con

Conducting Searches for Information

The World Wide Web

Now we are switching from magazines to the Internet

Fine to use Google Too much information – need to evaluate Search gun control Evaluate results

Evaluating Websites

Authority—Who provided the information? Who sponsors this website?

Currency—Is there a date on the page? Is it recent enough to be relevant?

Bias—Does this website have a point of view? Is it designed to influence your opinion?

Citing Sources

The citationmachine.net is available as a tool to assist you with your bibliography.

Always check with your instructor for instructions on the proper format to use.

Conclusion

EVALUATION!!! Of NCLive to Internet NCLive is authoritative and accurate Internet sources must be evaluated PASSWORDS Tip Sheet Please don’t hesitate to ask for help!