Search - English 1302 - Irvin, L: Finding and Evaluating a Source

Librarian

Karen Briere

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Searching as Strategic Exploration

Seven Steps of the Research Process Credit: Cornell University Library - Olin & Uris Libraries

Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window Provides full text biographies and critical analyses of over 90,000 authors from every age and literary discipline. Searchable by author, title, literary genre, literary movement, or literary theme. Includes Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature, the Dictionary of Literary Biography, Twaynes Authors Series, Scribners Writers Series and other scholarly reference sources.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window Important scholarly journals delivered as high quality page images and articles downloads are in PDF format. Coverage usually stops from 2 to 5 years prior to current year depending on each journal's publisher. Subjects include: African American Studies, Anthropology, Asian Studies, Ecology, Economics, Education, Finance, History, Language & Literature, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Population Studies, Sociology, & Statistics.
Literature Criticism Online This link opens in a new window The 10 individual Thomson Gale series that comprise Literature Criticism Online are:
- Contemporary Literary Criticism
- Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism
- Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism
- Shakespeare Criticism
- Literature Criticism 1400-1800
- Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism
- Poetry Criticism
- Short Story Criticism
- Drama Criticism
- Children’s Literature Review
Discovery: search the catalog and more This link opens in a new window Your all-in-one search tool to find books, media, articles, and more.

Discovery: search the catalog and more This link opens in a new window Your all-in-one search tool to find books, media, articles, and more.
Literary Reference Center This link opens in a new window Comprehensive, full text of a broad spectrum of information on thousands of authors and their works across literary disciplines and time frames. Reference works include:
- Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
- Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature
- Continuum Encyclopedia of British Literature
- and many more reference titles

Google Scholar Use the power of Google to search for scholarly articles and book chapters and link to SAC's full-text holdings.

Purpose:

Students will understand how to create a flexible search strategy for an assignment

Skills:

S.1. Utilize divergent (brainstorming) and convergent (e.g., selecting the best source) thinking when searching;

S. 2. match information needs and search strategies to appropriate search tools; and

S. 3. use different types of searching language appropriately.

Knowledge:

K. 1. Realize that information sources vary greatly in content and format and have varying relevance and value, depending on the needs and nature of the search; and

K. 2. recognize the value of browsing and persistence.

Activity: Class will be divided into groups.

All groups will use the following research topic:

How have sugar sweetened beverages affected health in the U. S. in the past century?

Get out a sheet of paper and write the research topic at the top.
Discuss with group what 3-4 keywords you would use to research the topic. [5 min]
One person from each group will write their keywords on the board. [5 min]
Brainstorm with class related words that may be used. [3 min]
Discuss discipline and viewing a topic through a different lens.
Groups will be given an index card with a specific discipline from which to search their keywords.
Each group will examine three different database tools utilizing the A-Z list of Databases and consider the following: [7 min.]
- What types of sources did you find? journal articles, news, print, primary source, video, audio, reference, statistics, charts, magazines, reviews, images, reports, etc.
- Were your search results relevant to your research topic?
- Were the number of search results you found manageable?
- How could you limit your findings to make them more manageable or relevant?
- Consider the capabilities (extra tools) within the database that you like? Discuss them with your group. [2 min]
Discuss each database tool and determine, as a group, which one you prefer. Write the name of the database (tool) on the index card along with the things you like best about the tool. [2 min]
One person from each group will share the groups' favorite tool with the class. [2 min/group]
Write a paragraph telling another student what their Best Bet will be for researching this topic within the specific discipline, and why you feel it is a Best Bet. [2 min]

Class Activity

Search Examples from Tools

Tool: Library Discovery

Try an all-in-one search for topics to get articles, books, and more. Use quotation marks "for phrases" and the * to pick up alternate endings in your search string.

Literature Criticism Online

Literature Resource Center

JSTOR

Off-campus access

Library databases require a login from off-campus!

ACES username is required for login
ACES password is your password for login

What does the login page look like?

English 1302 - Irvin, L: Finding and Evaluating a Source

Librarian

Searching as Strategic Exploration

Purpose:

Skills:

Knowledge:

Activity: Class will be divided into groups.

All groups will use the following research topic:

How have sugar sweetened beverages affected health in the U. S. in the past century?

Get out a sheet of paper and write the research topic at the top.

Discuss with group what 3-4 keywords you would use to research the topic. [5 min]

One person from each group will write their keywords on the board. [5 min]

Brainstorm with class related words that may be used. [3 min]

Discuss discipline and viewing a topic through a different lens.

Groups will be given an index card with a specific discipline from which to search their keywords.

Each group will examine three different database tools utilizing the A-Z list of Databases and consider the following: [7 min.]

What types of sources did you find? journal articles, news, print, primary source, video, audio, reference, statistics, charts, magazines, reviews, images, reports, etc.

Were your search results relevant to your research topic?

Were the number of search results you found manageable?

How could you limit your findings to make them more manageable or relevant?

Consider the capabilities (extra tools) within the database that you like? Discuss them with your group. [2 min]

Discuss each database tool and determine, as a group, which one you prefer. Write the name of the database (tool) on the index card along with the things you like best about the tool. [2 min]

One person from each group will share the groups' favorite tool with the class. [2 min/group]

Write a paragraph telling another student what their Best Bet will be for researching this topic within the specific discipline, and why you feel it is a Best Bet. [2 min]