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Academic Research
Academic Research
Research done at the university level is different from research done for personal decisions although they use some of the same skills. University research is targeted at discussing ideas and problems in various fields of study and brainstorming new solutions and ways of thinking about these topics.
A. Where to Search
A. Where to Search
Layers of Library Resources
Layers of Library Resources
Library OneSearch searches across several layers of resources to get you relevant sources. Once you have entered your search terms then it will search the AUC catalog and a number of other databases that contain books, journals, magazines, etc.
Within each of these there should be a number of relevant sources of information. If you are looking for scholarly sources, Library OneSearch is a good alternative to Google.
Library OneSearch
Library OneSearch
What is Library OneSearch?
What is Library OneSearch?
Library OneSearch is a search engine, but I like to call it a "fish net."
We use it to cast our search into the sea of databases available through the library website in order to receive delicious results.
As a search engine, Library OneSearch is able to search through many different databases at once and list relevant results, much like Google.
It is different from Google in the sense that it focuses on materials of academic importance. Likewise, you have access to most of the materials by virtue of being enrolled at AUC.
Library OneSearch Tools
Library OneSearch Tools
Filters
Filters
Full text - immediate access to a pdf
Peer reviewed - marked as being in a reputable journal
Ebook - books in electronic format
Open access - works made freely available online
Print books - physical copies of books found in the library
Content type - source type (journal article, book, newspaper, video, etc.);
your search is automatically filtered to journal articles and books
Database location - where a work is electronically located
Publication date - sort by the date of publication
Discipline - sort by subject or major
Subject terms - sort by specific topics and keywords
Actions
Actions
Bookmark - use this to temporarily save up to 50 items as you sift through relevant sources
You can then send all of the records for these sources to yourself in one batch email
Permanent link - find the link to a particular item
Cite - create an instant draft citation for a source
Send - send a record for the source to yourself over email
Take a look at the Library OneSearch interface here.
B. Research Questions
B. Research Questions
Strong Research Questions
Strong Research Questions
After doing some initial reading on your topic, some questions should come to mind. A good research question must:
Not be a yes or no question
be complete (not too broad or narrow)
be feasible (“What’s the meaning of life?”)
not be leading or bias
Research Questions from Reading
Research Questions from Reading
In his video lecture, Sonke Ahrens (author of How to Take Smart Notes) criticizes the status quo method of teaching research writing, which starts off with a search for a topic, writing a research question, hypothesis, etc. (18:30)
He asserts that in order to have a good research question, one should have already done a lot of research. This is because true insight and new ideas is unforeseeable.
C. Searching with Keywords
C. Searching with Keywords
In order to get the best results from Library OneSearch, you have to know something about keywords or search terms. Although you can use natural language in Library OneSearch, you will get better results if you use keywords.
Search terms (also known as “key words”) help you find sources related to your topic, either in a search engine or a database
These are not full sentences or questions, rather they are extracted from your research question
Each term is a concept or idea related to your topic
Combine 2 or more terms to find sources where these ideas overlap
When you are first starting your research, you will have a general prompt, usually provided by your professor.
What is the impact of 20th century conflicts on societies in the Middle East?
You might choose to search the words: impact, conflicts, Middle East. However, you will realize that your results will be very broad.
As you learn more about your topic, you will adjust your research question to something more specific:
What were the economic effects of the 1990 Gulf War on Kuwait?
Economic effects is a specific impact, 1990 Gulf War is a specific conflict, and Kuwait is a specific country in the Middle East.
From there, you can come up with synonyms and/or related terms.
Boolean Operators
Boolean Operators
Boolean Operators give you more control over your search. Try them to clarify ambiguous keywords to yield the results you want.
Boolean Operators (AND OR NOT)
Boolean Operators (AND OR NOT)
The basics of using AND, OR, and NOT when searching.
Boolean Modifiers "", *, ( )
Boolean Modifiers "", *, ( )
Slightly more advanced skill of using quotations, asterisks, and parentheses when searching.
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