1. Inga H. Barnello, M.L.S. barnello@lemoyne.edu PSC 202 / SOC 201

2. » A written section of a paper that is a discussion of the key publications that are out there on the topic » This section of your project identifies important researchers/authors and what each has done that effectively built the knowledge in field. » It should put the topic into context. You have tapped into the “conversation” that is occurring among scholars. Tell the reader what has transpired and how the research and thinking have come along.

3. » Search a topic in a bibliographic database » “Translate” your research question into search words ˃ Use strategies involving +And, or +Use of the database’s subject field only, if results are “sketchy…” or if too much comes up… +Use of the database’s thesaurus of subject terms » Read abstracts & evaluate what you found » Narrow your topic or change it…. Re-do…

4. » What do you hope/expect to find? » Someone describe your “dream” find today… » Who do you want to hear from?

5. Data about societies PhDs in academia PhDs in research institutes & think tanks Government agencies Non-profit organizations Practitioners: social workers, school teachers, urban planners News agencies & magazines News & magazine articles Peer-reviewed journal articles Publish Gov’t & research institute reports Databases Encyclopedia handbook Books, book chapters

8.  SocINDEX: Strong focus on sociology….all the social sciences are covered (but less of political science)  Proquest Social Sciences  All social sciences covered  Worldwide Political Science Abstracts (ProQuest)  Strong on international aspects, public policy & has government reports  ProQuest Criminal Justice  Education Full Text and ERIC are good for violence in the schools, school funding, etc.

9. » Divide topic into its separate facets or variables (unrelated concepts that you wish to intersect) » Check the terms used by the database and think about what you really WANT income inequality unions income distribution (is what SocINDEX uses)labor unions is the subject heading labor movement is a subject term wage bargaining (?) AFL-CIO

10. » AND limits retrieval by requiring each term ˃If you were to type into a single search box: “Income distribution” and unions

12. » allows all terms into the results » “union of sets”…. A U B » OR increases retrieval ˃elections or campaigns ˃Homeowners or taxpayers ˃Gender or women ˃Race or racial or ethnicity Womengender