Introduction to Research Resources & Search Strategies Sept & Oct 2009 L. Dobson, Librarian.

Introduction to Introduction to ResearchResearch

Resources & Search StrategiesResources & Search Strategies

Sept & Oct 2009 L. Dobson, LibrarianSept & Oct 2009 L. Dobson, Librarian

http://library.centennialcollege.ca/

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http://library.centennialcollege.ca/

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Ask the LibraryAsk the Library► In personIn person► PhonePhone► EmailEmail► ChatChat

Book a TutorBook a Tutor► In personIn person► OnlineOnline

Libraries websiteLibraries website► Research & Writing helpResearch & Writing help► Library Classes handoutsLibrary Classes handouts

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►Define your thesis – what do you want Define your thesis – what do you want to argue or explore specifically?to argue or explore specifically? (Browse (Browse resources to get background information and to resources to get background information and to clarify the issues. Revise your thesis if necessary, clarify the issues. Revise your thesis if necessary, once you see what’s out there.)once you see what’s out there.)

►Do a literature search, & try to find Do a literature search, & try to find previous research published relating to previous research published relating to your specific thesis and subject areayour specific thesis and subject area

► Select 5-10 sources for an annotated Select 5-10 sources for an annotated bibliography bibliography (analyze & evaluate)(analyze & evaluate)

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Should be:Should be:

ClearClear

Specific (“focused”)Specific (“focused”)

PracticalPractical

**thesis is also called argument, statement, thesis is also called argument, statement, hypothesis, questionhypothesis, question

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An An unworkableunworkable

thesis:thesis:

Intergenerational Intergenerational conflict among conflict among immigrant immigrant families in families in CanadaCanada

A A workableworkable thesis:thesis:

A study to identify A study to identify the 3 most the 3 most contentious issues contentious issues between between generations in generations in immigrant families immigrant families in Canada, 1990 to in Canada, 1990 to the present.the present.

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An An unworkableunworkable

thesis:thesis:

Experiences of Experiences of people with people with disabilities in disabilities in the workplace the workplace

A A workableworkable thesis:thesis:

A study of work-A study of work-related complaints related complaints & their outcomes & their outcomes filed with the filed with the Ontario Human Ontario Human Rights Commission Rights Commission on the ground of on the ground of disability, 2000-disability, 2000-2002.2002.

An An unworkableunworkable

thesis:thesis:

Experiences of Experiences of people with people with disabilities in disabilities in the workplace the workplace

A A workableworkable thesis:thesis:

People with physical People with physical disabilities are disabilities are provided greater provided greater accommodation accommodation when employed by when employed by the Ontario the Ontario Government than Government than by large private by large private companies in companies in Ontario (period of Ontario (period of study: 2000-2002)study: 2000-2002)

What are some other possible theses relating What are some other possible theses relating to to

this area?this area?

What are some possible theses relating to What are some possible theses relating to

this area?this area?

► Get background information – books, encyclopedias…Get background information – books, encyclopedias…

► Find out the issues - electronic databases (‘e-resources’) Find out the issues - electronic databases (‘e-resources’) for journal & newspaper articles for journal & newspaper articles

► What’s on the Internet - What’s on the Internet - anything there that is useful? reliable?anything there that is useful? reliable?

► If you are lucky, you may find that someone has written a If you are lucky, you may find that someone has written a “literature review” on your thesis or area. This is a kind of “literature review” on your thesis or area. This is a kind of summary of what’s been published. Recommend you summary of what’s been published. Recommend you search e-resources (BIGsearch or multiple databases search e-resources (BIGsearch or multiple databases using EBSCO, ProQuest or Gale vendor aggregators for using EBSCO, ProQuest or Gale vendor aggregators for this: limit “literature review” with quotes in title field)this: limit “literature review” with quotes in title field)

► Decide how far back in time you want to goDecide how far back in time you want to go

► Decide what sources you need to consult (books, Decide what sources you need to consult (books, encyclopedias, academic journal articles, newspaper encyclopedias, academic journal articles, newspaper articles? other?...) You will be wise to include a articles? other?...) You will be wise to include a number of original research papers in your searchnumber of original research papers in your search

► Decide how flexible you are about changing your Decide how flexible you are about changing your thesis. (You may want to do a number of different thesis. (You may want to do a number of different searches within your area, testing out different searches within your area, testing out different thesis possibilities.)thesis possibilities.)

Remember the more research you do, the better you Remember the more research you do, the better you will be able to identify the important authors and will be able to identify the important authors and publicationspublications

Revise your thesis?Revise your thesis?

Once you have done some searching, you Once you have done some searching, you maymay find that you will need to revise your thesisfind that you will need to revise your thesis

Possible Reasons:Possible Reasons:► You can’t find supporting research on your thesis or topicYou can’t find supporting research on your thesis or topic► Your area is discussed, but not in the way you expectedYour area is discussed, but not in the way you expected► Your thesis is too general – you discover that it has too Your thesis is too general – you discover that it has too

many aspects (‘sub-topics’) to handle in one proposalmany aspects (‘sub-topics’) to handle in one proposal► You see a lot of research on a related aspect that you find You see a lot of research on a related aspect that you find

more interesting and/or more practicalmore interesting and/or more practical

20202020

►Citation: author, title, publication infoCitation: author, title, publication info►Notes: brief description & some Notes: brief description & some

evaluationevaluation

Examples: See Library website: Examples: See Library website: Research & Writing Help --- Subject Research & Writing Help --- Subject

Guides ---“Annotated Bibliographies”Guides ---“Annotated Bibliographies”http://centennialcollege.ca.libguides.com/content.php?http://centennialcollege.ca.libguides.com/content.php?

pid=67852&sid=504277 pid=67852&sid=504277

Subject Guide on Libraries website

Example of a Citation with an Example of a Citation with an Annotation (note)Annotation (note)

Staub, E. (1988, April). The evolution of caring and nonaggressive Staub, E. (1988, April). The evolution of caring and nonaggressive persons and societies. persons and societies. Journal of Social Issues,Journal of Social Issues, 44(2), 81-100. 44(2), 81-100. Retrieved September 10, 2009, from Academic Search Premier Retrieved September 10, 2009, from Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) database.(EBSCO) database.

Ervin Staub, a leading theorist in the area of prosocial behavior, Ervin Staub, a leading theorist in the area of prosocial behavior, has written an article which places prosociality in a global has written an article which places prosociality in a global context. The author explores the ways that personalities and context. The author explores the ways that personalities and even whole societies can be shaped towards the reduction of even whole societies can be shaped towards the reduction of intergroup hostility. Central among these change agents are intergroup hostility. Central among these change agents are parents and teachers, who through the socialization process, parents and teachers, who through the socialization process, promote positive connections and caring values. Staub promote positive connections and caring values. Staub concludes by arguing that concludes by arguing that familiesfamilies institutions, and cultures institutions, and cultures can be transformed by creating systems of positive reciprocity can be transformed by creating systems of positive reciprocity among individuals and groups.among individuals and groups.

Style Guides Style Guides – 2 examples– 2 examples

““Standard systems for Standard systems for giving credit to others for giving credit to others for

their contribution their contribution to your work”to your work”

APAAPA (American (American Psychological Association)Psychological Association)

MLAMLA (Modern Language (Modern Language Association.)Association.)

Ask Library staff about these.Ask Library staff about these.See also :See also :

Libraries webpage Libraries webpage Research & Writing HelpResearch & Writing Help

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StatisticsStatistics

► ESTATESTAT: an e-resource (database) : an e-resource (database) popular data from Statistics Canadapopular data from Statistics Canada

► Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (Internet website) (Internet website) Much is free, some are fee-based. Much is free, some are fee-based. Do not Do not pay for Stats Canada datapay for Stats Canada data –ESTAT or other –ESTAT or other sources may provide free datasources may provide free data

►Many Many other other sources…sources…

Ask the Library staff for helpAsk the Library staff for help

York University Libraries offer a lot of help on using Canadian statistical sources.York University Libraries homepage: http://www.library.yorku.ca/ Click on “Resources” ---Statistical data…

A few words about A few words about research methodology…research methodology…

►Your proposal will include some Your proposal will include some suggestions on how information will be suggestions on how information will be collected in order to support your collected in order to support your thesis…thesis…

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research MethodologiesResearch Methodologies

What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

► In-depth interviewIn-depth interview

►Focus group Focus group (an unstructured, free-flowing but moderated (an unstructured, free-flowing but moderated interview with a small number of selected interview with a small number of selected individuals on a specific topic)individuals on a specific topic)

►Case study Case study (an intensive investigation of specific situation that (an intensive investigation of specific situation that can provide insight to the problem at hand)can provide insight to the problem at hand)

►Observation technique Observation technique (the systematic recording of behaviour patterns of (the systematic recording of behaviour patterns of the subjects or occurrences without questioning or in the subjects or occurrences without questioning or in any way communicating with them)any way communicating with them)

►Experimentation Experimentation (research that allows for the isolation of one variable (research that allows for the isolation of one variable at a time while the others are being kept constant to at a time while the others are being kept constant to test a hypothesis about cause and effect)test a hypothesis about cause and effect)

►Survey techniques Survey techniques (telephone, self-administered questionnaires, (telephone, self-administered questionnaires, structured interviews with some form of statistical structured interviews with some form of statistical sampling)sampling)

Qualitative research techniquesQualitative research techniques► “…“…research methodologies used in the research methodologies used in the

analysis of data that is not easily reduced to analysis of data that is not easily reduced to numbers, i.e. quantified….concerned with numbers, i.e. quantified….concerned with the subjective understanding & the subjective understanding & interpretation of social behaviour” interpretation of social behaviour”

(Source: ‘Qualitative Research Techniques’, World of (Source: ‘Qualitative Research Techniques’, World of

Sociology, Credo Reference database. Retrieved 23 Sociology, Credo Reference database. Retrieved 23 Sept 2009)Sept 2009)

Quantitative research techniques:Quantitative research techniques:► ““used to generate scientific knowledge about various used to generate scientific knowledge about various

social phenomena…The central notion of quantitative social phenomena…The central notion of quantitative study is that findings emerge from investigation study is that findings emerge from investigation without bias from researchers’ values & ideologies…without bias from researchers’ values & ideologies…[&] differ from qualitative techniques in that they are [&] differ from qualitative techniques in that they are more data-centered [using statistical methods, more data-centered [using statistical methods, numbers] than individual-centered and are more numbers] than individual-centered and are more detached and descriptive than in-depth and probing.”detached and descriptive than in-depth and probing.”

(Source: ‘Qualitative Research Techniques’, World of Sociology, (Source: ‘Qualitative Research Techniques’, World of Sociology, Credo Reference database. Retrieved 23 Sept 2009)Credo Reference database. Retrieved 23 Sept 2009)

Relationship between thesis and Relationship between thesis and data collection methods…data collection methods…

Your proposed thesis will stand up Your proposed thesis will stand up

only if you can suggest only if you can suggest

practical ways to collect information practical ways to collect information about it. about it.

(You (You maymay have an assignment in the future (another have an assignment in the future (another course perhaps ) to carry out a research proposal?)course perhaps ) to carry out a research proposal?)

Example of a thesis/research method Example of a thesis/research method combo that may not be practical…combo that may not be practical…

► Thesis: Thesis:

A study of work-related A study of work-related complaints & their complaints & their outcomes filed with the outcomes filed with the Ontario Human Rights Ontario Human Rights Commission on the Commission on the ground of disability, ground of disability, 2000-2002.2000-2002.

► Research Research methodology:methodology:

Quantitative Sample Survey Quantitative Sample Survey

using Ontario Human Rights using Ontario Human Rights Commission reportsCommission reports

If you do not have access to If you do not have access to these documents – or do not these documents – or do not have the time to study them - have the time to study them - you may have a good proposal you may have a good proposal in theory, but one that is not in theory, but one that is not practical for you (should you practical for you (should you need to follow through with an need to follow through with an actual research project at actual research project at some later time.)some later time.)