GE80C StudentsGE80C StudentsWelcome to Welcome to

College Library!College Library!Esther GrassianEsther Grassian

College LibraryCollege LibrarySpring 2010Spring 2010

Handouts…

Agenda

• 7 Research Steps • Topic Narrowing/Broadening• Identifying, Locating & Evaluating

Articles• Annotating & Citing References• What will you differently?• Research Your Own Topics • Questions Welcome!

Road to Research

Your Assignments...

Research Paper Steps1. Pick a topic2. ID topic limiters3. Brainstorm4. ID databases5. Keyword => Subject6. Evaluate Results7. Save Citations & Locate

Topic Narrowing/Broadening

Mental Mapping• Does the quality of life of older

women in the United States vary by ethnicity?

Key Topic Words• quality of life• older women• United States• Ethnicity

Related Words/Concepts

• Satisfaction, Well Being, Attitud*• Senior Citizen*, Elder*• U.S., California, Los Angeles, L.A.• Ethnic*, minorit* [or specific ethnic

groups—e.g., Latin*, Hispanic*, Asian-American*,African-American*, Black*]

Sample TopicWhat causes older white men to want to commit suicide, and why is it not affecting women as badly as men?

Focus Your Topic!• Identify (Circle) Key Concepts• Brainstorm Related Words

Questions?

What’s a JOURNAL?

Academic Conversations

Evidence…

Peer Review/Referee Process

Empirical “Derived from observation or

experiment rather than speculation or theory.” (Colman, 2006)

Colman, A. M. (2006). Dictionary of psychology (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Questions?

Finding Databases• UCLA Library

– Frequently Used DBs– DBs by Subject– DBs A-Z

• GE80 Research Guide for Class

PsycINFO• Topics: Psychology & Related

Fields• Items: Journal articles, book

chapters, dissertations, conference proceedings

• Time: 1806-present

Try it!

Let’s help… Social variation in how Alzheimer’s

disease is treated in China and the U.S.

Don’t Pay for Articles!!!

Internet Public Librarywww.ipl.org

Questions?

Citation Style Help• APA Publication Manual (print--

2001)• KnightCite (APA 5th ed.)• SourceAid (APA 5th ed.)

Review: Save Time & Effort!

• Your Assignments• 7 Research Steps • Topic Narrowing/Broadening• Identifying, Locating & Evaluating

Articles• Annotating & Citing References

•Think Critically!• and…

Ask Us!

Answer a few questions…

•http://bit.ly/DamronPost

What will you do differently?

Research Your Own Topics…