English 5033

                                What is research?

                                What is a library?

                                How is the NSU library organized?

                                  Maps
                                  Library of Congress
                                  Hours
 

                                Topics

                                Browse periodicals, professional web sites. Look for suggestions of needs
                                for further research. Check for a Call for Papers.
                                In your field,  what doesn't make sense or what interests you?
                                Read, read, read. As you read, narrow your topic. Ways to narrow topic include geographically, by date,
                                by specific interest group, by issue. Do cross disciplinary studies.
 

                                Critically assessing information


                                    1. Identify authors who are outstanding in their fields, determine
                                        the credentials of the author. Does the author
                                        have a degree in the field, is the author a professor?
                                    2. Date of publication--is it recent?
                                    3. Does the publisher have a good reputation?
                                        Is it published by a professional association or university press?
                                        Is the journal refereed?
                                    4. How was the book received by the critics?
                                    5. Completeness of the material. Does it have an index, bibliography?
                                    6. Is the language slanted or biased?
                                    7. Does it include well known facts or research studies?
                                    8. Do the links work?
 

                                Approach to reference question

                                    1. State problem clearly. Identify desired outcomes.
                                        State level of research (speech, term paper, dissertation).
                                    2. Identify where you have already looked. If you have found one good source on the topic, bring it.
                                    3. Identify type of resource that could answer the question.
                                    4. List the subject area of discipline
                                    5. If the reference collection is small, browse in the appropriate
                                        subject area by using the Library of Congress numbers.
                                    6. Check standard lists or footpaths.
                                    7. Ask for assistance.
 

                             Subject headings

                                    Keyword vs. controlled vocabulary, boolean logic

                            Locating book resources

                                  NSU Online Catalog
                                  WorldCat
                                 Arts and Letters Reference Sources

                            Locating periodical resources

                                Arts & Letters Indexes available at NSU.
                                Periodical indexes

                            Internet Resources

Internet Search Engines Available

Some (hopefully) reliable approaches to finding good Web sources:
The Argus Clearinghouse
The Internet Public Library
JVL NSU Subject Listing of Web Resources
Librarians' Index to the Internet
Search Engines Showdown

Assess the quality of the Web sites listed below:
Feline Reactions to Bearded Men
 


                                                                    Prepared by Sarah Brick Archer, August 30, 2002.
                                 Return to Sarah's Instruction Page.