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Saybrook Library_Test

This is a test version for the Commons sandbox.

Steps to Research Process

The first step to research is to understand the assignment. Has the topic been defined by the professor or do you need to choose a topic?

If the topic is assigned, your first task will be to extract the key concepts to search so you can focus on the search strategy.

Choosing your own topic requires more work. Here are some tips:

  • Choose a topic you are interested in and have some knowledge about. A topic that is completely foreign to you or that you don't care about will be time-consuming and feel like a chore.
  • Make your topic a manageable one.  If the topic is too broad or covers too many concepts, you will find too much information and focus will be lost. 
  • Ensure that the topic is relevant to the course or assignment. 
  • Do some foundational background searching to make sure there are resources available about a topic. 
  • Apply the Five Ws & H framework to your topic:
    • Who am I researching?  (Age group, gender, profession, ethnicity, organization, etc.)
    • What am I researching? (Trend, event, social problem cause and effect, etc.)
    • When is/was the time period? (Specified year or range, significant event, historical vs. current, etc.)
    • Where is my topic taking place? (Geographical location, a particular environment, etc.)
    • Why does my topic matter? (What makes the topic important to you, your peers, your community, etc.)
    • How will I approach my topic? (A historical look, philosophical approach, certain point of view, etc.)

Refer to the resources below for more in-depth information:

Entering a sentence in a library database search bar most likely will NOT result in relevant results. Library databases operate on words rather than sentences. Using keywords is a good starting point.

Develop keywords by listing the main words in your topic.

Here is an example research topic:  Does switching to a low-carbohydrate diet help women who have irritable bowel syndrome?

The keywords in this question are:

  • low-carbohydrate diet
  • women
  • irritable bowel syndrome

A keyword search might be: low-carbohydrate diet AND women AND irritable bowel syndrome

But there are many other words that can be substituted for these, for example:

  • low-carbohydrate diet = simple carbohydrate diet = carbohydrate restricted diet = specific carbohydrate diet = ketogenic diet
  • women = female = adult female
  • irritable bowel syndrome = inflammatory bowel disease = mucous colitis = spastic colon = gastrointestinal disease

You may want to search using one keyword at a time and then add keywords with AND to focus the search more narrowly. It's helpful to keep a list of your search words and try different combinations of them. Once you find some results with your keyword searches, look at the other words or subject terms associated with the article and use those in subsequent searching.

Once you have developed your topic and keywords, searching can begin.

Where will you search?

The library has over 300 databases that contain millions of information resources. These databases can be searched simultaneously through OneSearch, a one-stop shopping search tool found on the library homepage, or you can search in individual databases. Databases may be multidisciplinary covering many subjects or they may focus on a particular subject such as Psychology, Business, etc. They may also contain certain formats of materials such as journal articles, eBooks, or just streaming videos or they may contain a variety of formats.

Go to the A-Z Database List linked on the library homepage. When the list loads, browse the descriptions of each, or search by subject, type, and vendor...or type in the name of a database to find it.

The library also creates research guides for Saybrook programs. These guides are organized by subject and contain recommended databases in your program.

Click the Find Resources tab in the library navigation bar and scroll to Searching Tips and Techniques to learn numerous techniques for becoming a more efficient and effective searcher in the library databases.

When you find an article in a library database, you will have many options for what to do with it.

Here is an example of a search result in OneSearch. Some information is readily apparent such as the title, author, publication information and the fact that it is peer-reviewed. There are also options for things to do with the article right here in the list such as exporting to a citation manager, pinning it to your account, reading it, finding it online, etc.

 

 

If a result looks promising from the quick listing, it is a good idea to click the title to view more options and information. Clicking the title displays the full index record. In addition to providing links to read the full text either in PDF or HTML format from the record, there are options to send to RefWorks or Endnote, export a citation, print, create a permalink, cite, or email it. The location of the database(s) it is housed in is also provided under View Online. 

 

Scrolling down the index record, view the bibliographic information and subject terms associated with the article. These subjects provide valuable words to use for subsequent searches. Think of them as synonyms for your search terms.

 

Finally, view the description (abstract), publisher, and additional places the article may be linked.  At the bottom, a powerful tool is the Citations information.  Here, you can click the arrow links and find related articles: those cited in the result article and other articles citing this result article. This is a good way to find additional related articles on your topic.

 

The images above are from the OneSearch search engine but individual databases include similar options for viewing in PDF or HTML format, printing, emailing, exporting to a citation manager, etc. The options will vary by database provider. Here are some examples:

      

It's easy to go down the rabbit hole and endlessly search for resources in our information-rich library but you do need to organize them! This could be as simple as creating folders on your computer and saving your links there. A variety of citation management tools are also widely available for free or for a fee.

Citation management tools are software programs that allow you to collect citations for articles, eBooks, webpages, videos, etc., and to create bibliographies in a variety of styles such as APA. Some citation managers also allow you to store source materials such as PDFs, add in-text citations and bibliographies into you papers, and share the citations with others. Saybrook offers RefWorks for free so visit the Writing and Citing page in this library website for information about setting up an account. Other popular citation managers are Zotero and Mendeley, both free, and EndNote which is available for a fee.

You may not necessarily need a citation manager for individual course assignments or research papers as keeping them in a list or in your computer folders may suffice for the short term. For more advanced long-term research, such as for your thesis or dissertation, you may want to choose a citation manager to help you keep track of a lot more resources!

Citing sources is important for several reasons:

  • To acknowledge the work of others
  • To show your reader you have done due diligence in researching your topic
  • To avoid plagiarism and uphold academic integrity
  • To enable readers of your work to seek out the sources of your information and locate them as well

Cite sources when you:

  • Use an exact quote
  • Restate or paraphrase and idea from a resource
  • Summarize a work

All sources should be included in the References page.

Evaluating Information

Finding information resources is only part of the research process. Once you find them, it is critical to make a determination about their credibility, reliability, validity, accuracy, timeliness, authority, and point of view. Even if the resource aligns with your research question, it may not necessarily be a reliable source of information for academic work.

The links below provide information about how to evaluate your resources: