Choose a science or technology-related topic for some quick research. Either start with a topic you are interested in OR browse for ideas in any of the following: the print reference resources provided in class or the library research databases GVRL (linked from your research guide).
Select and read a reference article on your topic from your print encyclopedia, GVRL.
Answer the questions about your reference article on the worksheet provided in class.
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Get pointed in the right direction by locating background information first. An overview of your topic area helps you understand...
One of the most challenging parts of research can be finding the right topic. This guide can walk you through the process of developing a topic.
Disciplines within science & technology include:
Reference books, or academic encyclopedias, are a good place to start for any research project. Written by scholars, they provide reliable background information on a subject. Background information helps you understand context, theory, key concepts and more.
In addtion to print reference books we also have access to online reference databases. These academic resources are more reliable than Wikipedia. Why not Wikipedia? While Wikipedia is easy to find and use (and a great public project), articles in Wikipedia are anonymous and openly edited. That means for academic purposes, Wikipedia is not an authoritative resource.
The quality of your research resources matter. Make sure they pass the CRAAP test!
Databases are specialized library search tools that find info that is not generally available on the internet. The library provides access to many different databases databases. One of the library's databases, Gale Virtual Reference Library - eBooks (GVRL), focuses specifically on reference resources, mostly articles from reference books:
In Gale Virtual Reference Library - Gale eBooks (GVRL), you can either SEARCH the entire database for your topic or you can BROWSE articles within a specific topic or within particular reference books.
You can also use the Topic Finder tool to identify keywords related to your search:
Make a list of SEARCH WORDS or KEYWORDS.
To begin to search successfully you must use a vareity of words that relate to your topic. Identify keyword/search words through your background research:
Reference Books: Use in the library or photocopy or scan. To find your topic:
Look in the back of the book at the index.The index will quickly tell you the page numbers where your topic is located.
Let's practice identifying useful keywords/search words:
SKIM the reference article below
Identify useful keywords/search words by thinking about: