SOC 103 - Naff/Coleman - Spring 2025

• Overview of Library Website: Central hub for accessing valuable resources and services that support your academic journey.

• Database Demo: In this session, I will demonstrate how to use academic library databases, including Academic Search Complete for scholarly articles, Opposing Viewpoints for balanced perspectives, and CQ Researcher for comprehensive reports.

• Independent Practice: Search for scholarly articles related to your assignments and engage in hands-on activities to enhance your database research skills.

• Citation Wrap-Up: Discover free citation tools like Zotero to help manage references and ensure proper citation in your work.

This guide is designed to support your research and writing as you explore significant social issues and craft a letter to a policymaker or public figure. It will help you find credible sources, enhance your writing, and ensure accurate citation of your work. Use this guide as a step-by-step resource throughout your research process, starting with effective search strategies and using recommended databases to gather scholarly articles and reliable information.

Embrace the learning process, knowing that each step you take contributes to your growth.

Good research starts with knowing how to search. Use AND, OR, NOT to narrow or expand your results, and try quotation marks for exact phrases. Filters help you find full-text, peer-reviewed, and recent articles. Once you have sources, check if they are current, credible, and relevant to your topic. These steps make it easier to find reliable information for your assignments.Boolean Operators

• AND: Using AND narrows a search by combining terms
• OR: Using OR broadens a search to include results that contain either of the words you're looking for
• NOT: Use NOT to exclude a word
• Quotation Marks "":  Searches for exact phrases 

Database Filters

• Available online: The article is available online
• Peer-reviewed journals: Evaluating research studies before they are published
• Year of publication: Published within the last 5 years
• Full text: The entire text is available online

Evaluating your resources

• Timeliness: Was the article published in the last 5 years?
• Authority: Does this information come from an author or organization that has authority to speak on your topic?
• Audience: Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose?
• Relevance: What connection can be made between the information that is presented and your assignment?