A.Topic Identification & Selection (by Arizona State University). This video will walk you through the process of selecting a topic.
B. "Developing a Research or Guiding Question" (by Arizona State University): This video will help you understand the difference between a topic and a research question. It will also help you develop good research questions.
C. "Generating and Using Keywords" (by Arizona State University): This video explains how to determine keywords/concepts. It also explains the importance of finding synonyms or related concepts.
D. Web vs Library Research Databases (by Arizona State University): This video discusses the differences between researching library databases vs. Google Scholar vs. Google
Research Question: How does playing video games affect teenage girls?
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Concept 1 |
AND |
Concept 2 |
AND |
Concept 3 |
Extract the major concepts from your research question. |
teenage |
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girls |
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“video games” |
List alternatives for each concept:
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Search Terms |
Search Terms |
Search Terms |
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adolescent |
female |
“online games” |
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OR |
OR |
OR |
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teens |
“teenage girls” |
Nintendo |
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OR |
OR |
OR |
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OR |
OR |
OR |
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C. Watch "Boolean Logic" (by Pfaul Library"): This video explains how to combine search terms to narrow or broaden your search of library databases.
Explanation |
Example |
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AND |
Results (in blue) contain both terms Climate Change AND Cause |
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OR |
Results (all of both circles) contain either Climate Change OR Cause |
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NOT |
Results (in Turquoise) contain Climate Change NOT "Natural Cause" |
***Note: Some web browsers have their own search terms.
Explanation |
Example |
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PHRASE SEARCH (Using Quotation Marks) |
Looks for complete phrase exactly as it is typed |
“human cause for climate change" |
SITE: |
Focuses on specific domain types .com (commercia); .net (network); .org (organization); .gov (government); .edu (education) |
site: .edu. “human cause* for climate change” |
RELATED: |
Finds similar sites |
related: http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/may/most-scientists-agree-humans-causing-global-climate-change.html |
LINK: |
Finds sites that are linked to this site or have used this site as a reference |
link: http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2013/may/most-scientists-agree-humans-causing-global-climate-change.html |
FILETYPE: |
Focuses on specific domain types .com (commercia); .net (network); .org (organization); .gov (government); .edu (education) |
filetype: .pdf “human cause* for climate change” |
(Palmer, 2015, pp. 28-29)
Palmer, E. (2015). Researching In A Digital World. Danvers, MA: ASCD.
© 2015 by ASCD. Reproduced with permission
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Symbol |
Explanation |
Example |
Truncation |
* (Some databases might use: !, ?, or #) |
Helps to expand your search to include different word endings or other possible combinations |
Boy*= boys, boyfriend, boycott, etc. C*t= cat, caught, consent, etc. |
Wildcard |
! or ? |
Substitutes for a letter in a word. |
M!n= man, men Colo!r= color, colour |