Embedded LibGuides by Jenny

For this assignment you will write an academic research essay on a narrowed and focused aspect of a topic suggested by one of the “This I Believe” essays on the list for class (see the First Year Reads libguide on ulearn or the library website for the list). 

You must use at least 5 research sources.  Your paper should be 5-7 pages long.  The final due date will be Wednesday, November 6^th. 

So, you need at least 5 research sources.  What makes a source a "research source"?  

Step 1. Narrowing your research topic.

Start with a broad topic.

Topic Idea: Stress and College Students

Question: Who is affected? College students experiencing stress

Question: What is the cause of the issue?  College students experiencing mental health issues, lack of sleep, difficulty balancing multiple priorities (athletics vs. employment vs. academics) Lack of counseling support for college students.  Lack of awareness of stress-relieving techniques including meditation.

Possible narrowed Topic and Research Question:  What role does meditation play in reducing stress in college students?

Step 2: Turn your topic into a keyword search.

Let's practice.

NAME YOUR TEAM!

Step 1: With your team, identify at least three keywords from the question   "what is the cause of the issue" 

Step 2: With your team, identify at least one synonym for each of the three keywords above

Step 3: Click this padlet, name your team, and identify the three keywords you found, and three synonyms.

Step 4: The team that finishes first, earns the glory.  So much glory. and points. so many points. A+

Now you try!

Click the Articles tab (not the Everything tab!!) and start your own keyword search, after completing the handout "Constructing a Research Question and Keywording"

Online?  Check out the Online Students tab for specific writing help, just for you!

On campus? Visit the JWU Writing Lab at either the Academic Success Center at Downcity or Harborside for fast and easy help with assignments. Whether you're just getting started or need final editing advice, peer-to-peer and professional writing coaches are super kind and trained to help you at any stage of the writing process. For in-person tutoring, help with accommodations for students living with disabilities, and study-skills workshops, contact the Academic Success Center, via USucceed in jwulink, Academics tab.

Top Tips for Working with the Writing Lab:

1.    Open 9 am - 9 pm. Mon - Wed. 9-4 Thurs - Fri. Sat & Sun closed at Downcity, Sun 2-9 at Harborside.
2.    Walk-ins welcome; appointments strongly recommended.
3.    Book an appointment by phone: 401-598-1485
4.    Book an appointment online via USucceed: in jwulink, click Academics tab.

Did you know you can also submit your paper online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to Smarthinking for seriously awesome feedback within 24 hours?  It's FREE!  Look for the link in jwulink, under the Academics tab, under Tutoring.

Looking for MS Office Suite or Microsoft Word?  Click here to download it for free!

Looking for research for your annotated bibliography or research project?  

We can help!

Academic Search Complete

This is a great place to start:  

• Scholarly/ Peer Reviewed articles
• Trade Publications
• Magazines and News articles 
• Company Information 
• Statistics

Pro-Tip: Click Full Text on the left hand side so you can read everything online right away, and look for the Cite button on the right hand side to copy and paste citations (and save a ton of time!)  

CQ Researcher

Reporting & analysis of issues in the news

Opposing Viewpoints

Need research on controversial topics?  This database is your friend.  Support your point of view on a controversial issue with facts and statistics from primary and government documents, photos, and magazine & newspaper articles which have already argued your case.

Pro-Tip: Choose Browse Issues to choose from legit hundreds of topics.

.

Statista

Looking for statistics to quote, FAST?  Check out this awesome database!  Just toss in your search term, and you're good to go. 

Using Google can be really helpful when you're doing research, especially if you use these quick tips!

1. Change the "Domain"​

• Looking for Government information?  Use .gov in your search
  • If you search "Statistics on the economy" site:gov, you'll find government sites focusing on the economy, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Looking for Education resources?  Use .edu in your search
  • If you search "statistics on the economy" site:edu, you'll find academic sites focusing on the economy, such as articles from colleges and universities.
• Looking for Non-Profit research?  Use .org in your search
  • If you search "statistics on the economy" site:org, you'll find non-profit sites focusing on the economy, such as the United Nations Statistics division.

​2. Put your search in "Quotes"

• If you're searching for more than one word, use quotes to search as a phrase.
  • ​EX:  "Student Loans"

3. Google Scholar

• A Google Scholar search will bring you lots of academic results, and it is a great place to start.  
  • If you can't read the articles online, let us know and we'll find the Full Text for you!

Did you know you can copy and paste citations if you use the library's databases?

1. Save time -  look for the "Cite" Button or " " icon.

2. Scroll to the style you need (MLA, APA)

3. Copy and paste the full citation into your paper

Ta Da!  You're done!  Well, almost.  Sometimes weird formatting issues happen, so always double check your work.

Need help with in-text citations or more complicated citations?  Use the OWL!  It's super easy, and totally simple. This is also a really good time to make an appointment with a writing tutor to make sure your paper is totally perfect and all your citations are good to go.

Citing Images 

Image label (If including image in your written work):

Fig. 1 New York Sunshine. (WGSN Denim Team, [Sept. 2018]).

In the text:

WGSN Denim Team [Sept. 2018].

In your list of figures or references (omit figure number if you haven't included the image in your assignment)

Figure 1. WGSN Denim Team. [Sept. 2018] New York Sunshine. WGSN. Denim Forecast S/S 20: Empower Up! [Online image]. available from https://www-wgsn-com.jwupvdz.idm.oclc.org/content/board_viewer/#/80499/page/1

Working on your Annotated Bibliography?  We can help!

Here is an AMAZING example that walks you through the entire process - just click to read.

An annotation is super simple - basically, it's a few sentences about the kind of source you're using.  Our friends at the OWL have some awesome, detailed tips!

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation. Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following.

1. Summarize: Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is.

   For more help, see our handout on paraphrasing sources.

2. Assess: After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?

   For more help, see our handouts on evaluating resources.

3. Reflect: Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. If you're doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor.

Did you know that the Providence Public Library is AMAZING and only two blocks away from Downcity?  They have thousands of books, films, audio books, music, and special collections that will terrify and intrigue.  Seriously.  It's awesome and totally 100% free!

Check it out at Providence Public Library

You can learn all about how to get your own super sweet Providence Public Library card here

Is this source credible?

Scenario: You have to write a short paper for a media communications class on the topic of how gender and race impact media representation.

Using the ABCD criteria on your handout, work with your team to score the source you are assigned.

Is your source credible?

Pro-Tip: Each team evaluates ONE of the following sources:

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

Source 4

Source 5

Source 6

To take the Information Literacy Module, click here.

ABCD Handout