1
The GCC Library
College Research
04.27.2019
Two
Ways
Two Ways to Search
VS
TOPIC
TODAY'S
TOPIC
What are some solutions to poverty in the United States and Arizona?
Find at least three solutions in your group...
DATABASES
Scholarly Research at the Library
DATABASES
What is a database?
Databases
Answer
An online collection of articles and other information.
Typically with a subject focus...
Contains research tools to help you site and gather resources
Types of articles
Types
Reference Articles
Background encyclopedia-type information.
Magazine Articles
Popular articles with facts and analysis geared for a general audience
Newspaper Articles
Articles containing mostly facts rather than analysis
Scholarly Articles
Articles containing research studies with in-depth analysis, written for a scholarly audience.
Selecting a Database
Consider the discipline that might research your topic:
Selecting Subject Databases
Poverty in the United States
Poverty in Arizona
Search Strategies
part 1
search terms
Keep Brief
Eliminate Unnecessary Words
What terms do researchers use?
Search Strategies,
Part 1
Example
Topic:
The lowest wage people make.
Terms:
minimum wage
AND
Search Strategies,
Part 2
AND
Use AND between two terms to limit results to only those that have both terms but not one or the other.
poverty AND causes
poverty AND minimum wage
poverty AND inequality
poverty AND business
Activity
Activity
Select three databases for your topic and do some research.
Try a variety of search terms and strategies.
See if you can find a few causes or solutions to poverty in the United States.
ONE
SEARCH
Google-Type Search of Nearly All the Library Databases and the Books & Video Catalog
ONE SEARCH
Strategy
#3
Strategy #3
LIMITERS
Information Type
01.
Date Published
02.
Disciplines / Subjects
03.
Activity:
Activity:
Search for your topic in One Search
Try a variety of limiters to change your results
See if you can find some additional causes of and solutions to the problem of poverty.
Wrap Up!
Report Back
What are some causes and solutions to poverty that you found today?
Five Final Helpful Hints
Think of the library as a buffet more than a single meal. Pick and choose what strategy and resources work best for your paper.
Often you will not find a single source that answers your question. Instead you will have to piece together evidence from several sources to support the arguments of your paper.
Research is a process of trying, failing, and adjusting your search strategy until you find something that works.
Research is a process of learning. Your arguments may change depending on the evidence you find.
Librarians are here to help!