GS 140 Introduction to Research Methods: Sources & Strategies

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1 GS 140 Introduction to Research Methods: Sources & Strategies Library Instruction GS 140 R. Savia & M. Banda, Instructors 2010 Feb L. Dobson, Librarian ELECTRONIC DATABASES Ways to Access the Libraries e-resources Centennial Libraries offer approximately 100 electronic resources to the College community. The majority of these e- resources are licensed databases that provide reliable, scholarly, commercial free information. Most focus on journal & newspaper articles, but there are other special databases as well (Credo Reference dictionaries, Estat statistical data, NetLibrary ebooks, and various professional databases such as ecps: Compendium of Pharmaceuticals & Specialties, Access Science Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, etc.) Most are available 24/7, and require logon if off-campus. They are a useful alternative & complement to the Internet. Go to the homepage Quick access: In the START YOUR RESEARCH box, click on articles & e-resources and select a SUBJECT field; e.g. Education, Health Sciences, etc. For other options see table below. To access e-resources off-campus you will be prompted to enter your Library activated student card number and Library PIN (personal identification number).» E-Resources A-Z» Find the best e-resources A list of all our e-resources. If you already know the name of the e-resource you want to search, find it here. Some examples: Academic Search Premier Lexis Nexis (news international) ESTAT (a Statistics Canada educational database) CPI.Q (Canadian perspective includes health articles) ERIC: Educational Resource Information Center Lists of e-resources divided by subject, by format type (e.g. health sciences subject, or newspapers type), and links to popular e-resources.» BIGsearch All-in-one search of most of our e-resources - a good place to start your research, browse, or look for specific authors, titles of publications, or specific types of articles such as literature review, annotated bibliography, etc.. (Note: there are some limitations: not all databases can be searched through this engine; and it cannot consistently recognize a locked in phrase (e.g. hatha yoga will be searched as two separate words, not as a phrase.)» Full Text Journal List A list of all our online and print periodicals. Use it to find specific magazine, journal or newspaper titles. Example: Does the Library hold Canadian Journal of Education? Disability Issues? Globe and Mail? Etc.» Vendors The Find journals and articles page described above provides quick Links to e-resource vendors: EBSCOhost Gale Ovid ProQuest. These companies each provide Centennial Libraries with a number of databases and an interface for searching all or some at a time without sacrificing access to their precision search tools. 1

2 LIMITS Limits not only reduce the number of records displayed, they also provide a useful way to add focus or relevancy to your results. Ways to Limit & Expand Your Searches EXPANDERS If you want to be thorough, and certainly if you are not getting the results you want, use expanders to seek out more records on your topic. Limit to Search all fields or large fields (e.g. all text ) Examples of fields: title, subject, author, abstract (summary), all text, people, etc. Limit to peer reviewed records and/or academic records that have references (footnotes and endnotes are a sign of scholarliness). This is for scholarly articles MANY OF WHICH ARE REPORTING ON ORIGINAL RESEARCH STUDIES. Collect terms that relate in some way to the same concept with the OR operator the more terms you string together the more records you are likely to get. Example: the keyword string, management or therapy will yield more than just management. Limit to articles that report on original research. (Use document type, or subject headings, or simply include in your search a string of words such as case study or research or survey Check the thesaurus for suggested subject terms. Often, by limiting your search to peer reviewed articles, you will get a significant number of original research papers. Specify fields in which your search terms need to appear; e.g. author field, title field, subject field, abstract field, etc. (Title, abstract and subject ( tagged ) fields are particularly powerful. ) Tip: check your terminology in the Thesaurus (also known as Subjects or Topics) in the database you are using to ensure that your term or phrase is included as a subject term in the Subject Field.) Combine many terms with the AND operator the more terms you ask the database search tool to combine, the fewer records you will get. Tip: Some databases allow you to add a row if you want to combine another term(s). If this option is not given, simply use the rows provided and double up. Type of publication (e.g. articles, newspapers, etc) Lock in phrases using quotation marks. This will ensure that any records displayed with have that exact phrase (and not just the two words separately in the field or record). Check your terminology in the Thesaurus (also known as Subjects or Topics) provided in each database. If you include the terms listed there you are likely to get more and higher relevancy as well. Words & phrases that are listed in the thesaurus are, in fact, subject field terms tag terms to help you find records; and you can confidently do searches with them limited to the subject field. Use truncation (also called wildcards ) to get more; e.g. If you want to search for records that include Canadian content, you might type canad*. This tells the search tool will include all words that start with that stem Canada, Canadian, canadiana, Canadians, etc. (NB. Most databases use the asterisk (*) to truncate. Ovid databases use the question mark (?). Check the help screens in each database for other ways to truncate. Search multiple databases at one time. From the Find articles & journals Library webpage, select a Vendor Aggregator such as EBSCO, ProQuest, Gale or OVID. (Alternatively, if you are already in one of the databases provided by one of these vendors, simply click on the search page Choose databases (sometimes phrased Select databases, or Multiple databases ) and select the databases you want to search together from the list provided. BIGsearch also available (most databases can be searched with this engine tools for limiting less precise, however.) Search using all variations of spelling e.g. behaviour or behavior (British or American spellings). Tip: truncation is useful here e.g. behavio* 2

3 Limit to publications that have images Limit to date of publication (Note: records in databases are sorted by automatically by date, most recent listed first.) Do several searches. Vary your search terms and limits. When you do find a record that is on topic, have a look at the subject headings (also called descriptors or tags) and also the terms used in the title and abstract you may find some new words that will be useful for additional searches. You can limit with search preferences; e.g. You may want the records to be displayed in title format only. This quickens your scanning, at the expense of more detailed description. Limit to review articles. Tip: recommend you check the thesaurus for exact terminology - or search all possibilities; e.g. Reviews or book reviews or book review or literature review, etc. Criticism and interpretation are also helpful keywords to add sometimes. Sometimes you search for the opposite of your topic and get results; e.g. When looking for articles on long term planning, you might include the word, short term along with long term. If you are using a commonly used search term like the surname, Brown, when you are looking for a particular author, you will get a lot of records you do not want. Add another term to help identify the Brown you want; e.g. Ian Brown, or Brown and journalist Managing Your Searches & Results EXPORT: Databases usually allow you to export citations (i.e. just the record, not the full text) to RefWorks (a program provided by the Library to help researchers manage their bibliographies. Ask the staff about RefWorks if you want to learn about this program and set up an account.) Search strategy: RefWorks does not handle search strategies. Use standard options as listed below if you want to keep a record of the searches you do. PRINT, SAVE, Articles/records: Virtually all databases allow you to select/tag/add/mark the records you want to keep, and then transfer them to Folder/My research/marked items page, and then print, save, or them (full text or citation only) in a document style you choose. Remember that not all records are full text. Search strategy: Standard options: If you want also to save your search strategy, you can print the search page, or Create a folder, then select and copy the search page, then paste it into your folder. You can also select/copy/paste into an to yourself. Simply record it on paper (handwriting or typed). HELP: For saving searches: Go to the help screen in each database and type save or saving. EBSCO offers free individual accounts to students at Centennial. Click on the Sign In link on the search page to sign up. This will allow you for EBSCO databases only to save your searches and records and share your folders with others. ALERTS: Alert icon RSS feed icon Most databases also allow you to set up an account so that you can receive by or RSS feed newly added records based on the profile you establish; e.g. you may want to receive all new articles that discuss Bell Canada or the beverage industry. 3

4 APA Style: Where to Get Help Note: RefWorks still uses the APA style 5 th ed. An update with the latest 6 th ed. Is expected in early 2010). Internet sites: Most college and university websites offer help with documentation styles. Go to their homepage and look for style guide information. You can also simply use a Google search using keywords for the specific help you need; e.g. apa style works cited book reprint. (This method is especially useful when you have an unusual source that is not normally addressed). APA also has a website with a section on online sources that is helpful. APA Style. Also: Centennial College Libraries Research & Writing Help (APA, MLA) Centennial College Annotated Bibliographies (APA style) University of Toronto. Research & documentation online (Bedford St Martins) Citation Machines: Some Internet sites offer interactive style guide help you enter information about your source and the citation machine formats it for you. Normally, only the very BASIC sources are covered. You are advised to check the results for accuracy, using the official rules, before you submit your work. (The quality of your work is your responsibility.) See Tools to Help Format Your Citations - Centennial Libraries: THE INTERNET Use critical thinking skills especially when searching websites on the Internet quality varies widely Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations. (Source: ) Centennial College Libraries e-journal articles are included and tagged - in Google Scholar. Canadian Encyclopedia Centennial College Intranet (Administration reports, surveys, etc.) Librarians Index to the Internet The full text of The Canadian Encyclopedia and its related resources has been made available online by the Historica Foundation as a public service since Since its publication in book form in 1985, The Canadian Encyclopedia has provided the most comprehensive, objective and accurate source of information on Canada for students, readers and scholars across Canada and throughout the world. As a first source for information on all Canadian topics The Canadian Encyclopedia has continued to grow through several iterations in print and on CD-ROM, culminating in this online version published by the Historica Foundation. (Source: ) Access only on campus computers: type intranet in url and click go. Under College Commitment, for example, you will find KPI (Key Performance Indicators) surveys etc... Librarians' Internet Index (LII) is a publicly-funded website and weekly newsletter serving California, the nation, and the world. Every Thursday morning we send out our free newsletter, New This Week, which features dozens of high-quality websites carefully selected, described, and organized by our team of librarians. Topics include current events and issues, holidays and seasons, helpful tools for information users, human interest, and more. (Source: ) 4

5 STATISTICS CANADA For online help at Centennial Libraries: go to Libraries website Research & Writing Help - Library Classes General Statistics Canada & ESTAT Statistics Canada website ESTAT At Statistics Canada, our goal is to provide the best and most reliable information possible on our society, our economy, our environment and other dimensions of our country. Chief Statistician of Canada on the Statistics Canada website This is a database offered through Centennial Libraries. It is a subset of Statistics Canada databases and includes some tables not available for free on the Internet. Go to the find articles & journals page on Centennial Libraries website and select E-Resources: - Then select ESTAT. EVALUATING THE INTERNET Recommended sources: Toronto Public Library. Research ate my brain: the panic-proof guide to surviving homework. (c2005) Toronto: Annick Press. (See chapter on evaluating the Internet). Wolfgram Memorial Library (Widener University, Chester, PA) - Evaluate web pages tutorial. UC Berkeley - Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial - Evaluating Web Pages Cornell University - Evaluating websites: Criteria and tools Google Directory - Web Site Evaluation Arendt, J. (2008, April). Imperfect Tools: Google Scholar vs. Traditional Commercial Library Databases. Against the Grain, 20(2), Retrieved October 10, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (EBSCO) database. SOURCES ON QUANTATIVE & QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS For books: search the LRC library catalogue online, using keywords e.g. quantitative research; e.g. qualitative research; e.g. research methodology; e.g. social sciences research; e.g. questionnaires; e.g. social surveys; e.g. interviewing. (You may want to limit your search to the subject or title field to get greater relevancy, or limit to Ashtonbee campus for convenience.) Some titles held at Ashtonbee Campus Library: Constructing questions for interviews and questionnaires: theory and practice in social research / William Foddy. (1993) Introduction to quantitative research methods: an investigative approach / Mark Balnaves and Peter Caputi. (2001) Research decisions: quantitative and qualitative perspectives / Ted Palys. (2003) Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches / John W. Creswell. (2003) SAGE encyclopedia of social science research methods, edited by Michael S. Lewis-Beck, Alan Bryman, Tim Futing Liao. 3 vol. (2004) Science and technology research: writing strategies for students / Tina M. Neville, Deborah B. Henry, Bruce D. Neville. (2002) Internet site: Research Process [pages created by Marion Joppe, University of Guelph] (Retrieved 21 Sep 2009) Two e-resource journal articles: Onwuegbuzie, A., & Leech, N. (2005, December). On Becoming a Pragmatic Researcher: The Importance of Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methodologies. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(5), Retrieved October 27, 2008, Academic Search Premier database (EBSCO) Shields, L., & Twycross, A. (2008, June). Sampling in quantitative research. Paediatric Nursing, 20(5), Retrieved October 27, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database (EBSCO). 5

6 CRITICAL THINKING Two recommended sources: Memering, D., Palmer, W. Discovering arguments: an introduction to critical thinking and writing, with readings. (c2006). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Ruggiero, V.R. Becoming a critical thinker (2006). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. BOOKS & ENCYCLOPEDIAS on the shelf (also journals in paper format & videos & DVDs) Use Library Catalogues e.g. Centennial College Library Catalogue Tips: Encyclopedias vary some are general, like World Book Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia Americana, Encyclopedia Britannica - and some focus on specific topics; e.g. Access Science: McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology Online, etc. When looking for books on your topic, start by looking for exactly what you want (the specific topic). If you do not find much, try for books generally in the field - you may find books that contain chapters or sections on your specific topic (once you explore the book on the shelf); example: searching for books on elder care and stress if you do not find enough, do other more general searches for example: elder care with no reference to stress. Also, use other terms to get at the same concepts; e.g. geriatrics, older people, geriatric nursing these terms can also be used in the library catalogue. Note: Truncation symbols can also be used to make your searching easier: $ - use at the end of word stems; example: canad$ tells the search tool to look for all words starting with those five letters. You will get canada, Canadian, Canadians, canada s, canadiana, etc.? use inside words; example: wom?n tells the search tool to look for all words that start with wom, have an unknown letter next, and then ends with n. You will get both woman and women. NOTE: Toronto is rich in library resources. As a Centennial student, you have direct borrowing privileges at other Ontario Community College Libraries. Toronto Public Library offers free Library Cards to anyone who lives, studies, works or pays taxes in Toronto. You can visit academic libraries (Ryerson University Library, University of Toronto Libraries and York University Libraries and read materials there. All provide searching of their book collections from their websites. 6