English

Academic Essay Research Requirements:

• You must cite at least 5 sources overall.
• 4 of the sources must be peer-reviewed academic articles or books.
• 2 sources should be mentioned repeatedly and discussed in detail in the paper.

Replies to Student Comments and Questions:

Question: search tab (filters?) 

Answer: Check out this short video clip on search filters in CU Search. Similar filters for peer-reviewed sources and year of publication exist in almost any database.

Question: How to narrow down topics / how to brainstorm / the specific words to search for / finding topics for my topic. 

Answer: Try the Gale in Context database and click "Browse Topics" or go to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Read a general source about your topic and copy down key terms in the source. Then use those words to do a new search in a database. Read more about this process here in the library guide on brainstorming search terms. In addition, check out this guide on narrowing down topics from another university.

Question: Boolean search phrases, how they work, and how to do more advanced searches using keyword & quotations

Answer: See this video on Boolean search and video on additional advanced search methods.

Question: Where to find more databases / source-finding websites

Answer: On our homepage, click the red button at the bottom labeled "Databases A-Z." In addition, to get reliable articles about general topics, go to the Encyclopedia Britannica database here. 

Question: More about how to find reliable sources / which sources are best

Answer: Recently published peer-reviewed sources are usually the most reliable. Use the search filter in Academic Search Complete and CU Search to select "peer-reviewed." Also, sources in general should be evaluated using the TRAAP Test--read more about evaluating sources here and also here.

 

Question: Even more ways to enhance your research / specific words to use when searching 

Answer: Feel free to schedule a Personal Research Appointment using this link.

Links and Topics for Today's Session:

1. "Do-Now" Activity - make a web of search terms. Ask a partner for suggestions.

• Researching & Writing Cycle

 

2. Fun video on how to make Boolean search phrases (AND, OR, NOT, quotation marks, and parentheses).

 

3. Database: Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints

• Most of these sources are not peer-reviewed, and they are probably somewhat biased. This just means the sources aim to be persuasive, and they will probably leave out some important pieces of information. Look at the blue-green book mark I handed out today: how do you evaluate the author of a source and the information contained?

 

• In Gale in Context, click the lightbulb icon that says "Browse Issues." This can help you brainstorm and choose a topic.

 

4. Database: JSTOR - Online archive of full-text academic journals and e-books.

 

5. Database: Academic Search Complete

• Just like with CU Search, check the box for only peer-reviewed sources.

 

6. Need help? Sign up for a research appointment here.

• Jonathan will help you brainstorm search terms and find better sources.

 

 

 

Sample topics for an opinion/editorial:

Road rage, littering and plastic pollution, propaganda trolls, pandemic learning loss

Homepage Basics:

1. Go to Campbellsville.edu/library or just search Campbellsville library in Google.
2. Use the chat box for any technical difficulties or questions you have.
3. To schedule a personal research appointment, click “Library Services” to find the request form.

Four Powerful Tools for Finding News and Popular Sources:

1. CU Search
   1. Campbellsville.edu/library à search box in the middle of the page
   2. Put this example in quotation marks to search for this exact phrase: “road rage”
   3. Filter for date range. Recent is probably better.
   4. Finding pop-culture vs. scholarly sources: Check how many are peer-reviewed out of the total. Peer-reviewed articles are scholarly sources, so try looking at the sources that are not tagged as peer reviewed. Those sources are probably in newspapers or magazines.
   5. Use AND to combine topics. “road rage” AND pedestrian
   6. Find editorials/opinion pieces:
      1. Search this: “road rage” AND opinion
      2. Use OR and () to include more topics: “road rage” AND (opinion OR editorial)
   7. Cite and share tools:
   8. ALWAYS edit the automatic citations—they often have formatting mistakes.
   1. Put the citation and the link in a spreadsheet or document to save your sources.
2. Alt-Press Watch
   1. The articles are from news sources considered unique, independent, and well respected
   2. Montgomery Library homepageà  à Alt-Press Watch link
   3. Search this: littering; littering AND (opinion OR editorial); littering AND pollution
   4. Citation and email tools:
3. Global Newsstream
   1. Montgomery Library homepageà  à Global Newsstream link
   2. Search this: propaganda AND trolls
   3. Search this with and without quotes: pandemic learning loss AND (opinion OR editorial)
   4. Citation and email tools:
4. Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
   1. Montgomery Library homepageà  à Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
   2. Search this: propaganda AND trolls
   3. Get the citation and link:
5. Other databases on the list to consider: Newspaper Sources, Academic Search Complete