Research Guide for English 102: Reconstructing Identity and Social Roles
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Prepared by Elinor Appel NSCC Library (this will open in a new window)
Workshop plan:
Image licensed under Creative Commons by smitemer on Flickr. |
Primary & secondary sources
Primary sources
On an information time line, a primary sources comes first. Depending on your topic or subject, a primary source can be
- a diary, photograph, newspaper clipping, or interview regarding a specific place and time (History) - poster (1942) and photograph (1942)
- a poem, a piece of art, a photograph, novel, movie, music (Art, Literature) - 1984 by George Orwell and George Orwell's diary
- an original study, data, or statistics (Sciences) - "Generations Online" (study by Pew Center) and "Fertility of Women in 2004" (US Census Bureau)
A primary source is usually work that is being investigated, analyzed, or discussed by a secondary source.
Secondary sources
On an information time line, a secondary source comes second. Secondary sources discuss, analyze, summarize, or paraphrase. Most articles you find online or in our databases and many of the books you find in our library are secondary sources. These may be popular (written by and for a general readership) or scholarly (written by academics and containing references). Click here for a quick overview of popular and scholarly sources.
A successful secondary source discusses a topic by weaving in other secondary sources (voices, viewpoints) together with primary sources (data, art, etc.) that anchor, illustrate, or support its statements. This is the model for a successful academic paper. Representing a variety of viewpoints, formats, and sources makes a paper's argument better.
Exercise: You will be assigned a source link, below. Identify 1) primary or secondary 2) the author or creator of the source. Be ready to discuss these as a class.
Using keywords
Keywords are your search terms. You may need to use a variety of related terms to retrieve all the sources you need. Think of both broad and narrow terms to use. You will probably find that the narrow search you do in Google needs to be modified when you search a library catalog or articles database.
Internet (articles, books, blogs, web sites, etc.) - you can often use narrow search using many keywords and narrow terms:
Library database (articles) - try fewer keywords, often broader terms, combined with AND:
Library catalog (books, DVDs) - even fewer keywords, at least to start. This is the basic Keyword Relevance search, limited to materials at North:
Library resources
Reference Books - are good for background information, dates and definitions, or to look up specific topics. Some examples:
- Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science [Ref JA 61 .B43 1999]
- Encyclopedia of Human RightsI, 5 vols. [Ref JC 571 .E673 2009]
- Encyclopedia of Science and Religion, 2 vols. [Ref BL 240 .3 .E43 2003]
- Penguin Atlas of Women of the World [Ref HQ 1154 .S34 2009]
- Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women, 4 vols. [Ref HQ 115. R69 2000]
- Science Fiction: The New Critical Idiom [Ref P 96. S34 R58 2006]
Circulating Books - use these books to find more in-depth information on your topic. Sometimes it's easiest to start with a simple keyword search:
Once you find a title that looks good, check the record for location, call number, and availability:
Use your student ID card to check out circulating materials. Books can be checked out for 2 weeks and renewed online. If you find one at South or Central, you can request it to be sent to North. Ask a librarian if you need help doing this.
Periodical databases contain full-text articles from newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals. Search the database by combining terms using and, for instance: surveillance AND handmaid's tale.
Make sure when you search that you find and check the full-text search limit. For instance, here is the limit box ProQuest:
Recommended library databases for your research:
- Academic Search Complete - general database with articles ranging from news to scholarly
- JSTOR - older, full-text scholarly articles
- ProQuest - another general database with articles ranging from news to scholarly
- Literature Resource Center (reference database) - literary criticism, interviews
- Opposing Viewpoints (reference database) - articles on controversial topics
For best results, search at least three of these databases, using a variety of search terms.
Librarians
Come to the reference desk, contact me, or use our online reference service. We are always happy to help!
Margaret Atwood on The Handmaid's Tale: "I made it a rule for the writing of this book that I would not put anything into it that human societies have not already done." Interview with Bill Moyers, 2006. Original source (and copyright holder): PBS, "On Faith and Reason."