How to Search for Information

Where to start?

• A thesis statement• A general topic• A question

This Assignment

• Find 6 sources (using the assignment sheet as a guide) that examine the impact of social media on young people in your assigned country.

Survey Resources

• What’s out there?• What is most likely to fit your topic/thesis?• Don’t limit yourself to just websites

List Search Terms

• Concepts• Keywords• Synonyms• Related terms

Start the Search

• Select a database• Type in the search terms• Evaluate the results• If it looks good, skim a few abstracts/articles• If not, refine the search

Databases

• ERIC• Lexis-Nexis Academic• Proquest• Sociological Abstracts• ComAbstracts• Communication Studies: SAGE Full-Text

Collection• ABI/Inform

Refine the Search

• New database• New search terms• New combinations of search terms• Maybe new ideas• Maybe even new thesis statement

Kinds of Sources

1. Scholarly journal articleUsually can specify during searchProbably won’t be about your topic

Huh? It’s not about my topic?What good is it?

Yeah, well….

• Scholarly articles take years to research, edit, review, and print

• Rigorous, serious, detailed, supported

• They are still useful as background, overview, context

Kinds of Sources

2. BooksSame story as scholarly journal articlesUse as background, overview, context

Kinds of Sources

3. Article from Popular or Trade MagazineCurrentNot as substantial as scholarlyLots of them

Kinds of Sources

4. Your choice!Has to be from catalog or library database

Kinds of Sources

5. Article from a newspaper of your countryLexis-Nexis Academica) Newspapers and Wiresb) Check Non-US Newspapers & Wiresc) Click Geography

http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/Online Newspapers

http://www.thepaperboy.com/Paperboy

Kinds of Sources

6. A good website• Keep in mind the criteriao Timelinesso Accuracyo Reliabilityo Biaso Validityo Authority o Relevance