Arts 1110  

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Image source: Eder Pozo Pérez / unsplash

“use a minimum of three academic sources”

Image source: Nathan Shively / unsplash

How can we find academic sources about current events or contemporary controversies?

& Deciding how to approach your research

List of assignment topics

• Should universities be responsible for developing soft skills?

• Should mandatory minimum sentences for murder be abolished?

• Should laptops be banned in university classrooms?

• Should the statue of Sir John A Macdonald be removed from outside Victoria's city hall?

Essay Question:

Should the statue of Sir John A Macdonald be removed from outside Victoria's city hall?

How can you approach this question?

Your job is to put it in context.

Brainstorm:

• What are the broader issues at play?
• What might have caused or influenced the issue?
• What might some effects of this issue be? Could there be unintended consequences (either way)?
• Are there other possible solutions?
• Are there other examples of this?

Based on your brainstorm:

• What information do I need to really understand this topic?
• Any synonyms or other ways of getting at the same idea?
• What disciplines should be consulted?

Should mandatory minimum sentences for murder be abolished?

"mandatory minimum" murder

umanitoba.ca/libraries

Click Advanced Search. Then Sign In.

Ready to go!

Search strategies

• Start broad, then narrow down as you go
• Use " " to keep words together, and * for all possible endings
• Make 1 change to your search at a time to see what happens
• Think about why your search has turned up certain results
• Try being more specific, and less specific
• Use a new line for each concept or idea
• Try searching with filters, and without filters
• Look through all results, not just 1st 5!
• Keep track of your sources as you find them

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Help with research

• Research guide
  • Tutorials, links, and to book an appt
     
• You can always
  • Ask at the library's front desk
  • Use the 'Ask Us' chat on the library website