Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
Published byRichard Randell Watkins Modified over 9 years ago
1
Research Methods 5143 Library Resources Frederic Murray Assistant Professor MLIS, University of British Columbia BA, Political Science, University of Iowa Instructional Services Librarian Al Harris Library frederic.murray@swosu.edu
2
Outline of session Questions Surrounding Search What is a literature review? Why review the literature? Plan your search/Keywords/Boolean Catalogs/Databases Citation Formats Snowballing/Tracking Citations Research Exercise Web Resources A good literature review…
3
How does Google Search work?
4
Google Search PageRank (algorithm) –500 million variables –2 Billion Terms Bias? Popularity is a Proxy for Importance
5
Personalized Search Google’s algorithm will suggest “what is best for you” – based on past searches. It’s as if we looked up the same topic in an encyclopedia and each found different entries.
6
Personalized Search Find information that is most likely to reinforce your own worldview We begin to lose dissenting opinion/conflicting points of view Yet search seems neutral, objective, unbiased.
7
Personalized Search & the Internet When ideology drives the dissemination of information, knowledge is compromised. Inadvertently we indoctrinate ourselves with our own ideas. Google is likely to direct you to material with which you already agree.
8
SO WHAT?
9
What are the repercussions for research carried out in an environment where Search itself is being compromised?
11
Best Researchers A major error is to look only for sources whose ideas, findings, or arguments they already agree Do not start out to prove “X” Start out to find out about “X”
12
What is a literature review? “… a systematic…method for identifying, evaluating and interpreting the …work produced by researchers, scholars and practitioners.” FINK, A., 1998. Conducting literature research reviews: from paper to the internet. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage., p.3.
13
Why review the literature? “…without it you will not acquire an understanding of your topic, of what has already been done on it, how it has been researched, and what the key issues are.” HART, E., 1998. Doing a literature review: releasing the social science research imagination, by E. Hart and M. Bond. London: Sage., p.1.
14
Major Concerns Right keywords to search Narrowing the search Using the library effectively
15
Define what you want to know “I am looking for literature and data that focus on the problems posed by child soldiers as combatants, as well as issues of rehabilitation. ” Use this statement to choose keywords and key phrases
16
Identifying Keywords Identify the significant terms and concepts that describe your topic from your thesis statement or research question. These terms will become the key for searching catalogs, databases and search engines for information about your subject.
17
Define key words and phrases Child Soldiers Combatants Rehabilitation
18
Boolean AND = Narrow OR = Expand NOT = Exclude
19
E-Books: EbraryEbrary 24/7 Full Text Searching* Highlight Markup Note Taking Online Bookshelf Chapter Results
20
Open WorldCat
21
Choose Appropriate Databases Google is not (usually) the answer Start with Library Resources for your Subject First Search a range of databases Think about the range of sources: books, journal articles, statistics, websites, conference reports…
22
EBSCOhost Databases: PsychINFO PsycARTICLES Academic Search Complete Use Advanced Search
23
EBSCOhost Databases Use Advanced Search Methodology: Literature Review Full Text/Peer Reviewed Cite Export – RefWorks *
24
JSTOR Includes archives of over one thousand leading academic journals across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Search by discipline: Psychology
25
We think of citation patterns as the flow of information," says Carl Bergstrom, a biologist at the University of Washington. "That's what a citation is — the trace that an idea flowed from one place to another."
26
Snowballing Building on the works of others A scholarly article will always have References/Bibliography A bibliography is always ripe for the picking…
27
Understanding Basic Citation Formats Book citation: De Alwis, M. ( 1995). Gender, politics, and the 'respectable lady.' In P.Jeganathan & Q.Ismail ( Eds.), Unmaking the nation: The politics of identity and history in modem Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Social Scientists' Association. Periodical citation: Hollifield, M., Warner, T. D., Jenkins, J., Sinclair-Lian, N., Krakow, B., Eckert, V.,... Westermeyer, J. ( 2006). Assessing war trauma in refugees: Properties of the Comprehensive Trauma Inventory–104. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19, 527– 540. doi: 10.1002/jts.20137.
29
Tracking Citations Hollifield, M., Warner, T. D., Jenkins, J., Sinclair-Lian, N., Krakow, B., Eckert, V.,... Westermeyer, J. ( 2006). Assessing war trauma in refugees: Properties of the Comprehensive Trauma Inventory–104. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19 (4) 527– 540. doi: 10.1002/jts.20137
30
The Citation Video
31
Class Exercise Citation Worksheet Identify Citation as Book (B) or Journal (J) Locate Item in Catalog or Database Identify name of Catalog or Database
32
GoogleGoogle: Improve Your Searches Site Specific Command What it does: searches only specific domains What to type: Child Soldiers site:edu Child Soldiers site:gov
33
OpenThesis & OAIster OpenThesis - A free repository of theses, dissertations, and other academic documents.OpenThesis OAIster - A union catalog of millions of records representing open archive scholarly digital resources.OAIster
34
RefWorks RefWorks is an online tool designed to generate citations and bibliographies.
35
RefWorks - VideoVideo Create an account In Ebsco use export function Organize folders Create Bibliographies
36
Evaluate what you read Think about… Relevance to your topic Intended audience Currency of the information Coverage of the topic Accuracy of the information Authority of the author or information source Level of objectivity of the author
37
A good literature review… Goes beyond simply listing relevant literature Is a critical essay Assesses the range of literature available Is a critical summary of the literature Examines the background against which your own research is set Forms a significant section of your dissertation
38
A good literature review… Offers opinions and personal response to the different writings Relates different writings to each other, compares and contrasts Does not take the literature at face value Shows an awareness of the theories and values that underpin the research Uses particular language: authors assert, argue, state, conclude, contend
39
Questions? Contact me: –Frederic Murray 774-7113 frederic.murray@swosu.edu
40
Thanks!
Similar presentations
© 2024 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.