Wednesday, March 30, 2016

3.3 Choosing sources: Adjusting the topic

Outline of this lesson:
  • Describe strategies for finding relevant sources (e.g. detailed concept maps, looking at other bibliographies, asking appropriate library personnel)
  • Judge the readability of sources based on criteria of vocabulary and length to help with source selection
  • Adjust the scope of your research paper focus based on available information in the database (e.g. zooming in, dividing/splitting, zooming out)
  • Adjust your thesis statement and/or rough outline to match corresponding adjustments in scope

A. Review Library Day

Some helpful techniques:
  • keyword search techniques
  • concept mapping
  • synonyms brainstorming (using concept map)
How to narrow down your source quantity from 30 to 5-6:
  • look only at titles/abstracts/subject terms
  • scanning literature reviews
  • scanning reference lists
  • skimming conclusions/ limitations
  • using "Ctrl + F" to look for keywords

Handout 1:  Searching online journals and databases 


B. Practice

Handout 2: Source analysis - part two (key)


C. Homework:

1. Use handout 2 to help you check whether a source relates to your topic based on the criteria.
2.Complete the first draft of your Annotated Bibliography. Please finish you first draft before class next Wednesday (04/06), and submit your first draft to Compass2g. In class, you will do peer perception for each other.
3. Writer's Help 2.0: Checkpoint 2 due tonight 03/30 Wed, 11:59pm




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