WRIT 220 (Jana Parsons): Research Methods

Where to look for information:

• What types of information do you need? You wouldn't choose an abstracting database if you needed full-text. You wouldn't choose a science database if your information needs were in the humanities.
• Who collects and reports the information? Are there any organizations that specialize in the subject you are looking for? For example, the United States Department of Education collects annual data on primary, secondary, and college education topics. 
• What subject areas is the information associated with? This can help you narrow to subject-specific databases.

Search process - keywords:

• What are the main ideas or concepts you need information on? Did you use a specific strategy for brainstorming your initial keywords?
• How did you come up with related terms? Did you use a database thesaurus?
• How did you combine terms to modify your search? (Boolean logic)
• How did you rule out keywords that did not work for your search?

Selecting sources :

• What steps did you take in your evaluation process? Did you use an evaluation method like the CRAAP test?
• What types of sources are you using? (Remember, a database is not a source. Examples of a source include journal articles, newspaper articles, podcast episode, government report, videos, etc.)
• How do your sources compare to each other? Do they fill in information gaps?
• Does the information from one source complement or contradict information from another source?
• Can you verify (fact-check) the information found in a particular source?

Database tools:

• Explain the different tools you can use in the database and what you would use them for, examples include:
  • citation tool
  • folder tool
  • email tool
• Most databases will have icons for these tools both when viewing the item record and while viewing the full-text HTML or PDF
• Think about how you use these tools and during which step in your research process you use them in
  • Do you use them toward the beginning, the middle, the end of your research? This will help you plan out your screencast video. 

Required for all WRIT 101 sections beginning Fall 2023: Little Seagull Handbook, 4e. Can be purchased online or in the Cottage Bookstore. 

This section of the LibGuide corresponds with Section R-1: Doing Research, Pages 116-128.