ENGL 127 Research Writing: Social Sciences (Pittser)

This research guide is for students enrolled in Lina Pittser's English 127: Research Writing with a focus on Family, Gender, and Sexuality

Video Tutorial: How to Identify, Find, Use and Cite Scholarly Journal Articles

Video Tutorial on the Scholarly Conversation

A thorough video tutorial on finding and using scholarly literature.

  • Tip: Watch outside libguide for a larger view
Video Overview

This video tutorial created by a Holman Librarian talks about scholarship in all disciplines. It addresses:

  • Why scholarly literature exists - the unique purpose it serves
  • How a scholarly conversation advances our knowledge over time
  • How to find relevant scholarly literature
  • Strategies for reading scholarship
  • And a reminder on how to find help from a librarian

Be sure to read through the Scholarship section of this guide to learn much more about what scholarship is, the role it plays in research, policy, and knowledge, how to find and use it, and much more!

Mapping out the Scholarly Conversation

Create a Concept Map

A literature review requires you to identify the key issues, questions, and theoretical approaches the scholarly literature focuses on with regard to your topic.

The handout linked below may help you start to map out key facets of the scholarly conversation.
I use it in two ways as shown in the image below

  • First, to map out the issues I see from a results list. This helps me choose a scholarly focus.
  • Second, to map out the more focused conversation specifically on my topic.

(click on image to enlarge)

Screenshot of a concept map