"That's a great question..." Navigating research interests across academic disciplines (even when you're unsure how to start)
RIAs •11/1/17
happy fall!
First... 🚽📝
Advertising via TPs [and where else?]
- Reference in-person, on phone, via email, IM, and text!
- Students (and others) don't know what subject librarians and RIAs do -- how to communicate this?
- Specific keywords to use?
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Example questions? ("What sorts of questions can you ask us?")
Literature reviews
- Head to RIAs libguide (yes, this is a thing)
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libguides.brynmar.edu/rias -- or search "RIAs" in Tripod
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Poll: keywords for database searching
- Now that we have some familiarity with these databases, think of your own research topic (from a class, personal interest, etc.).
- Use Oxford Bibliographies, Annual Reviews, or Compass Journals [linked on libguide] to locate literature reviews related to the topic.
Literature reviews (cont'd.)
What about Web of Science?
- Limit to Reviews
- Limit Subjects -- what does this tell you about the topic(s) you've searched
Handbooks & companions
How / Use Tripod to find
"early childhood education" AND (handbook OR companion)
"exact phrase"
( remember PEMDAS? )
use OR to
search for
synonyms
(generally broader in scope than lit reviews)
Handbooks & Companions // Exploring research interests
Try it: Looking for the same topic in Tripod, find a relevant scholarly handbook or companion.
Example:
"early childhood education" AND (handbook OR companion)
• Relevance: may be the whole book, or just one chapter
• Too few results:
- Try broader search terms
• Too many results:
- Change search from keyword --> title
- Filter your search results by date
Handbooks & Companions
- Look in: Tripod (Books & More)
- Search: "topic here" AND ("handbook" OR "companion")
Exploring research interests (IF WE HAVE TIME!)
Try it: Write your topic on an index card and pass to another RIA
Use handbooks, companions, and review articles to identify relevant disciplines and possible approaches
Review Articles
- Web of Science (Humanities / Soc / Sci): On results page, ☑ Reviews
- Oxford Bibliographies (H / Soc / Sci)
- Annual Reviews (Soc / Sci)
- Compass Journals (H / Soc)
Other tools for exploring research interests and academic disciplines:
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- What can you learn by browsing by discipline?
- What can you learn by browsing by discipline?
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What kind of information is available on Research Guides?
What terms can/should we use to search?
What about the A-Z Database List?
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2017.11.01 | RIAs Workshop #1
By Swarthmore Reference
2017.11.01 | RIAs Workshop #1
First full-group workshop of the semester.
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