Introduction to Research
Search Strategies & Resources
R. Savia & M. Banda, Instructors
2010 February - L. Dobson, Librarian
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Library Help
► Ask
the Library – chat, phone, email, in person
► Book
a Tutor
► Research




& Writing Help on Library Website
Library Classes Handouts Blog
Annotated Bibliographies subject guide online
RefWorks – citation manager
APA Citation Style
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Research & Writing Help – Annotated
Bibliographies SUBJECT GUIDE
Research & Writing Help – RefWorks
bibliography & citation manager
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Research & Writing Help – APA Style
Examples:
► Research at the University of Toronto website
http://www.research.utoronto.ca/
►
►
See handout
Centennial Libraries licensed databases – search for peer
reviewed journal articles, case studies, surveys, etc.
“Peer reviewed” articles
Also called “refereed” or “academic” or “scholarly”
► Well researched, authoritative work
► A committee of scholars must approve quality
before the editor publishes
► Many are articles reporting on original research
done
►
Most library databases allow you to limit to
peer reviewed if you want
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Your handout – example of
a research study…
► Thesis?
► Literature
review?
► Methodology?
► Findings?
► Conclusion(s)?
Research
Sources
E-resources at Centennial Libraries
► Over
100 databases
► Search
 One at a time
 Many at one time
using vendor aggregators –
see list to the right….►
 Almost all at once
through BIG search
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A word about articles & e-resources
Journal & Newspaper articles:
►
►
Published in issues
regularly (weekly,
monthly, etc.)
Each issue contains several
articles (essays) by
different authors
E-resources (“databases”):
►
Licensed electronic
resources that let you
search thousands of
articles at one time
Journal articles: scholarly or general level?
Scholarly articles
► are documented (intext citations, footnotes
or endnotes).
► Most are peer
reviewed = highest
research quality
General articles
► are not documented
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What newspapers offer…
e.g. in Lexis Nexis, CPI.Q databases, etc.
►
Current info – news!
►
Hot topics
►
Debates, different viewpoints
& opinions
►
Analysis & background info
►
Tips on research studies,
government policies & other
publications
Centennial College intranet site:
https://my.centennialcollege.ca/staff/intranet_home.jsp
A word about Statistics
► ESTAT:
an e-resource (database)
popular data from Statistics Canada
► Statistics
Canada (Internet website)
Much is free, some are fee-based. Do not pay for
Stats Canada data –ESTAT or other sources may
provide free data
► Many
other sources…
Ask the Library staff for help
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York University Libraries offer a lot of help on using Canadian statistical sources.
York University Libraries homepage: http://www.library.yorku.ca/
Click on “Resources” ---Statistical data…
Remember the more research you do,
the better you will be able to identify
the important authors and publications
► Define
your thesis – what do you want to
argue or explore specifically? (Browse resources
to get background information and to clarify the issues.
Revise your thesis if necessary, once you see what’s out
there.)
► Do
a literature search, & try to find previous
research published relating to your specific
thesis and subject area
► Select 5-10 sources for an annotated
bibliography (analyze & evaluate)
AND
(Boolean operator that combines)
Your 3rd term or string
Your 1st term or string
Your 2nd term or string
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OR
(Boolean operator the collects)
Your 1st term
OR
Your 2nd term
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►
►
►
Get background information – books, encyclopedias,
Internet…Search Centennial websites (including intranet) if your
proposal is locally based.
Find out the issues - electronic databases (‘e-resources’) for journal
& newspaper articles
If you are lucky, you may find that someone has written a
“literature review” on your thesis or area. This is an article that
summarizes what’s been published. Recommend you search eresources (BIGsearch or multiple databases using EBSCO, ProQuest or
Gale vendor aggregators for this: limit “literature review” with quotes
in title field – or any field…) See handout example.
Revise your thesis?
Once you have done some searching, you may
find that you will need to revise your thesis
Possible Reasons:
► You can’t find supporting research on your thesis or topic
► Your area is discussed, but not in the way you expected
► Your thesis is too general – you discover that it has too
many aspects (‘sub-topics’) to handle in one proposal
► You see a lot of research on a related aspect that you find
more interesting and/or more practical
► Citation:
author, title, publication info
► Notes: brief description & some evaluation
Examples:
 On Library website: Subject Guide ---“Annotated
Bibliographies”
 See handout
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Subject Guide
on Libraries website
Example of a Citation with an
Annotation (note)
Staub, E. (1988, April). The evolution of caring and nonaggressive
persons and societies. Journal of Social Issues, 44(2), 81-100.
Retrieved September 10, 2009, from Academic Search Premier
(EBSCO) database.
Ervin Staub, a leading theorist in the area of prosocial behavior, has
written an article which places prosociality in a global context. The
author explores the ways that personalities and even whole societies
can be shaped towards the reduction of intergroup hostility. Central
among these change agents are parents and teachers, who through
the socialization process, promote positive connections and caring
values. Staub concludes by arguing that families institutions, and
cultures can be transformed by creating systems of positive reciprocity
among individuals and groups.