POLS 2300:Introduction to Library Research

Timothy BristowResearch & Instruction Librarian, Scott Library

Class Goals:• Learn how to construct an effective keyword search

• Learn how to use the Library Catalogue and Periodical Indexes to find relevant information

• Discuss ways to think critically about your research sources

• Prepare you to work on your annotated bibliography

When starting a research project, where do you look first?

QUESTIONS:

What is a scholarly resource?

Scholarly Sources Are:

• The product of research & analysis; they provide evidence of their research by citing other sources

• Produced by scholars for scholars and are part of a larger conversation about an issue

• Often not freely available online, which is why you need to use our library catalogue and databases

Keyword Searching:1. Prepare your search by writing out your research question and then

identifying the key concepts

2. The same concept can often be expressed in multiple ways, so consider alternative keywords: synonyms

3. Construct your search using language that the database understands to get the best possible results: syntax

4. Search, examine the results, and modify your search

Library Catalogue:• The Library Catalogue is a database containing records

for materials in all York Libraries

• Use the Catalogue to find books, films, reports, but not journal articles

• Advanced Search will give you more control and often better results when searching for a topic

Periodical Indexes:• Periodical Indexes are databases that contain records of

journal articles in a particular subject area

• Use the Library’s online Subject Guides and the POLS 2300 Course Guide to identify useful indexes

• The indexes contain records for many articles that we have at York and for some that we don’t

Thinking Critically: 1

• Authority: Who is responsible for producing the source? Is the author or publisher affiliated with an organization?

• Audience: What is the intended audience of the source? E.g. researchers, students, the general public

• Purpose: Why was the source created, what is its purpose? E.g. to present research, set policy, inform, entertain, persuade

Thinking Critically: 2

• Perspective: Does the source express a particular political or institutional perspective?

• Currency: When was the source created? Is the information still relevant?

• Validity: Are the author’s claims supported by evidence and research? Does the research method seem sound?

Getting Help:• Visit the Research Questions

Desk at the Scott Library

• Book a Research Appointment

• Ask a question online with askON

• Consult the POLS 2300 Course Guide