Clarke Iakovakis | Research & Instruction Librarian | UHCL Neumann Library

Library Research for SOCI/CRIM 4385 & SWRK 4363: Research Methods

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http://libguides.uhcl.edu/SOCI4385mcmullen

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How much experience do you have doing research using library resources in your research (e.g. article databases, scholarly books?)

a. I have not used library resources in my research before

b. I have used library resources a littlec. I have lots of experience

using library resources

Outline for Today• Academic Research• Principles of Good Searching • Searching in the Research

Databases & Library Catalog

Section 1: Academic Research

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A literature review is part of the published work referencing related research, theory, and background information

A review of the literature (literature search) may be conducted to…◦ understand a topic◦ help you form a problem statement◦ provide confirmation of an already

existing hypothesis◦ analyze and interpret your own data◦ gain exposure to past, current, and

ongoing research about a subject you are exploring for research of your own

What is a literature review?

Authority in information“Authority” is a type of influence recognized or exerted in a communityDisciplines have acknowledged authorities--scholars & publicationsApproach “authoritative” perspectives with informed skepticism.

What is peer review? A process for establishing authority of scholarly research Experts review the original ideas to certify the accuracy, validity, and value of the results

Chubin, D. E., & Hackett, E. J. (2005). Peer Review. In C. Mitcham (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics (Vol. 3, pp. 1390-1394). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from http://libproxy.uhcl.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3434900491&v=2.1&u=txshracd2589&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=67e06d81c0d758521a67ba637722e45c

What are some sources of scholarly information?BooksReference worksPeer-reviewed journal articlesGray literatureReports (government,

non-governmental organizations)Theses & dissertationsConference proceedings

Archival resources

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Periodicals (journals, magazines)

Peer-reviewedRefereedScholarlyAcademic

TradeProfessiona

lPractitione

rIndustry

General

Popular

Author credentials (usually universities; sometimes industry or government)

Journal information (name, volume, issue, year)

Abstract

Literature Review

Methodology

Anatomy of a scholarly articleTables and/or graphs

Dissect this citation Brewer, R. M., & Heitzeg, N. A. (2008). The racialization of crime and punishment: Criminal justice, color-blind racism, and the political economy of the prison industrial complex. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(5), 625-644. doi: 10.1177/0002764207307745 What is the…

Journal name Volume number Issue number Authors

Article title Page number range Year of publication DOI

How do I find an article when I have a citation?

A. GoogleB. OneSearch (library catalog)C. A subscription database, such as SocIndex,

Social Work Abstracts, or Criminal Justice Abstracts

Brewer, R. M., & Heitzeg, N. A. (2008). The racialization of crime and punishment: Criminal justice, color-blind racism, and the political economy of the prison industrial complex. American Behavioral Scientist, 51(5), 625-644. doi: 10.1177/0002764207307745

EXERCISE 1Site Effects: How Reliance on Social Media Influences

Confidence in the Government and News Media

Author name Journal name Publication year

Section 3: Research Databases

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Why use a library when I have Google?

But wait…

tumblr

.gov Wikipedia

Subscription databases

Password-protected websites

restricted access

$$$

free access

Illegal content

Classified documents

Surface Web

Deep Web

Amazon

cnn

Google

ads

Off campus access to subscription databases

If you have problems accessing resources from off campus, call the

Reference Desk 281-283-3910

2001234567

Section 4: Principles of good searching

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• Explore a research area to focus on a research question1•Identify the key concepts2•List alternate keywords, synonyms, and related words3• Join terms and concepts with appropriate Boolean operators4•Make use of database’s limiters & suggested subject terms 5•Organize and cite your sources6

Search Process

One •What are some factors that play a role in shaping teenagers’ attitudes toward police officers?

Two •How do socio-economic status, neighborhood crime, education level, and previous interactions with police officers shape teenagers’ attitudes toward police officers?

Three •What is the influence of individual teenagers’ past contact with police officers on their attitudes toward police?

1. Explore a research area to focus on a research question

2. Identify the key concepts

Teenagers Police Attitudes Police contact

What is the influence of individual teenagers’ past contact with police officers on their attitudes toward police?

Teenagers

Adolescents

YouthJuveniles

Delinquents

3. List alternate keywords, synonyms, and related words

OR

What is the influence of individual teenagers’ past contact with police officers on their attitudes toward police?

Police

Law enforcemen

t

Peace officersCops

CorrectionsOR

3. List alternate keywords, synonyms, and related wordsWhat is the influence of individual

teenagers’ past contact with police officers on their attitudes toward police?

Police contact

Police interaction

Police-commun

ity relations

Arrest

Questioning OR

interrogationOR

3. List alternate keywords, synonyms, and related wordsWhat is the influence of individual

teenagers’ past contact with police officers on their attitudes toward police?

ANDOR

NOT

4. Join terms and concepts with appropriate Boolean operators

juvenilesteenagers adolescents

M EOR

teenagers OR juveniles OR adolescents

Police OR law enforcement OR corrections

teenagers OR juveniles OR adolescents

AND

AND

Which statement below will generate more search results?

A.

B.

Which search will find FEWER results?

A.B. OR

teenagers

teenagers

police

police

ANDORem

Using a wildcard (*) will find a larger number of results

compute

computes

computing

computation

computer

computability

comput* * Search Tip

Using a wildcard (*) will:

A. Find MORE results

B. Find FEWER results

C. Find synonyms and related terms

COMPUT*

• State your research topic1•Identify the key concepts2•List alternate keywords, synonyms, and related words3• Join terms and concepts with appropriate Boolean operators4•Make use of database’s limiters & suggested subject terms 5•Organize and cite your sources6

Search Strategies

Exercise 2

role of race in prison sentencing

Using the SocINDEX database, see how many articles you can find on the sample topic below. Try experimenting with different keyword/term combinations using AND/OR.

For each search, write down Keywords/terms used Connectors (AND, OR) used Number of results

Feedback please!