ENGL 101 English Composition 1 (Theme: Language, Identity, & Community)

Strategies for Overcoming Research Bumps

Challenge 1: "I can't find words that work"

Sometimes when we research, we can't figure out words that work. There can be a number of reasons for that to happen. Here are some strategies that help. 

Strategies - Search Terms:
  • Try synonyms or related ideas that connect to your core topic.
  • Use library databases to help you generate different search words. Look for specialized vocabulary that captures the academic side of your topic.
  • Try subject terms. We capture our main ideas in keywords. Databases use Subject Terms to pull together resources on a subject. Finding relevant subjects is helpful! How do you find them? 
    • In individual databases like Gale eBooks, Academic Search Complete, or ProQuest, look for SUBJECTs in the filters. Academic Search Complete even lists subjects under each article. That's helpful!
    • In One Search, you can use the Subjects filter in the menu. You can also click on a relevant sounding title and then scroll down the page to find other possibly useful Subject Terms. The image below, from the record for the book Language and Identity: An Introduction, points to subjects terms and also underlines possibly useful keywords and ideas.

(click on image to enlarge)

book record

Strategies - Use Booleans and Search Phrases, Not Sentences:
  • Use keywords or subject terms instead of natural language. Google is good at finding key ideas in natural language (which is the way we talk). Library databases work better with simple key words or subject terms connected by AND or OR. 
    • Example: Instead of searching: "the effectiveness of starting to learn a new language in high school" try: "second language learning" OR "second language acquisition" OR "foreigh language learning" AND "high school" OR "secondary school"

Challenge 2: "There's nothing on my topic."

Sometimes when we research, we can't find anything on our topic. That can happen when:

  • we use inaccurate or vague keywords (see the previous tab on search terms)
  • we use keywords that are too general
  • we use keywords that are too specific
  • we are writing about a new event, phenomenon, or text. 
Strategies - keywords that are too general: 
  • Try adding an additional keyword(s) to narrow and focus your general idea. For example:
    • code switch*
    • code switch* AND immigrants
    • code switch* AND "second-generation immigrants" 
    • code switch* AND work
  • Try replacing a general concept with a more specific term. For example:
    • Instead of gender AND language, try "gender identity" AND language
    • Instead of gender AND language, try "gendered language" AND women AND "social media" 
Strategies - keywords that are too specific:
  • You may need to take a step or two back, if you are not finding sources with your keywords. For example:
    • Africa* instead of Ghana or Nigeria

Challenge 3: "I can't find the full text or I hit a paywall."

Strategies - no full text:

Library databases are useful research tools, because they include a mix of full text sources we can read immediately AND sources for which there is only a title and an abstract (overview of the source). 

  • The library One Search defaults to full text only. You can click the box to include sources that are not full text, and then borrow not full text items through InterLibrary Loan.
  • Library databases, on the other hand, have a mix of full text and no full text. If you want to find only full text sources, check the box that says "full text only."
  • If you do not find full text of a source that sounds useful in one database, however, click on the button that offers to "check for full text at GRC." IF WE HAVE THE ARTICLE/ SOURCE IN ANOTHER DATABASE, IT WILL LINK TO IT AND OPEN.
  • If we don't have the full text at GRC but it sounds useful to you, you may borrow the item for free with InterLibrary Loan. 

(click on image to enlarge)

no full text example

Strategies - paywalls:

If you search for sources on the Web, you may hit a publication paywall and be asked to pay to see the full text. 

  • First, check Holman Library to see if we have the source in our collection. You can read it for free there. 
  • If we do not have the source, you may try to request it for free through InterLibrary Loan. Use the link below.