Search Preparation
Before
searching for articles on a topic, you should prepare for your search by:
- developing a clear, specific research
topic or research question, and
- dividing the research topic in
"concepts" (different subtopics or elements)
For example,
a specific research question might be:
What is the impact of the cost of higher education on the attainment of the
American dream for working class Americans?
This
research question can be divided into two or three "concepts":
1.
cost of higher education
2. American dream
3. working class
For each concept, related search terms should be used.
Place “OR” between each search term for the same concept.
1.
“cost of higher education” OR “college costs” OR “college tuition”
2. “working class” OR workers OR “middle class”
3. “American dream” OR success
For more help
on how to do search preparation, see Skyline Library's Planning a Search Page.
Databases for Magazine, Journal & Newspaper Articles
(What is
the difference between popular magazines and academic journals?)
EbscoHost databases - on campus or off-campus
w/ library card
Articles
from academic journals, magazines, newspapers & other published sources in
all subject areas.
- To search for more than one
"concept", click on Advanced Search below the Search box
- In the “Search modes” selection area,
select “Boolean/Phrase” by
clicking the appropriate button
- In the first search box, type the search
word(s) for one concept related to your topic. Type an OR
between synonymous words for the same concept.
Example: “cost of higher
education” OR “college costs” OR “college tuition”
- In the second box, type the search
word(s) for another concept related to your topic. Type an OR
between synonymous words for the same concept.
Example: “working class” OR workers
OR “middle class”
- If you have a third concept, type the
search word(s) for that concept in the third box. Type an OR
between synonymous words for the same concept.
Example: “American dream” OR
success
- Click the “Search” button to begin a search
- When the results page is displayed,
click on an article title to see detailed information and a summary of the
article.
- To see the full-text of an article,
click on PDF Full Text or HTML Full Text at the left of the
detailed information page
- Once you find one article specifically
on your topic, click on any relevant subject headings (near the top
of the article page) to find more articles on that topic.
- To print or e-mail an article, click on
the print or e-mail buttons at the right of the article.
Gale
PowerSearch databases - on campus or off-campus w/ library card
Articles
from academic journals, popular magazines and newspapers; excellent
set of general periodical databases.
- From the initial “Basic Search” page,
click on "Advanced Search" on the navigation bar near the
top of the page.
- In the first search box, type the search
word(s) for one concept related to your topic. Type an OR
between synonymous words for the same concept.
Example: “cost of higher
education” OR “college costs” OR “college tuition”
- In the second box, type the search
word(s) for another concept related to your topic. Type an OR
between synonymous words for the same concept.
Example: “working class” OR workers
OR “middle class”
- If you have a third concept, type the
search word(s) for that concept in the third box. Type an OR
between synonymous words for the same concept.
Example: “American dream” OR
success
- Click the SEARCH button
- When search results are first displayed,
only magazine articles are
shown, if available for your search.
Click on: “Academic Journals”
tab to display journal articles; "News" tab to
display news articles; "Books" tab to display reference book
articles.
- Click on an article title to view the
full article
- After selecting articles, you can e-mail
the articles to yourself by clicking on the EMAIL button in the “Tools”
box at the top right of every article.
- Enter your e-mail address in the “Mail to” box
- Click the SEND button
JSTOR - Scholarly
journals archives - on campus or off-campus w/ library
card
Back
issues of important academic journals, including many
historical journals (no current issues) going back to 1838. Best for in-depth academic journal articles
on all historical topics except recent history and articles published within
the last 3 – 5 years
Google
Scholar
-
Google’s academic search engine accesses a wide range of academic articles, theses,
books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional
societies, online repositories, and universities.
Google search statements:
· Since Google only provides a single search box (instead
of multiple search boxes), use parentheses around search terms for each
concept, and
- place ANDs between each concept, e.g.
(“college costs” OR “college tuition”) AND (“working class” OR workers OR “middle
class”) AND (“American
dream” OR success)
· put quotes (“ “) around search phrases, i.e. any
search terms with more than one word (such as “college costs” in the example
above)
The majority of sources retrieved by Google Scholar
are usually abstracts
(summaries) of articles, which do not provide the full-text of the article (or
a significant charge is required for the full article). In many cases, you may
be able to retrieve the full-text of these articles by using the Skyline
College Library Article Delivery Service.
Books
The PLS Online Catalog is the online
catalog to find books in Skyline Library and in all libraries in the Peninsula
Library System.
- Type in search word(s) for your topic in
the first search box and click the Submit button.
- The search results will show books and
other materials in all libraries in the PLS system.
- To Limit your results to books at Skyline College Library, scroll
down to Limit to: Location:
pull-down menu below the search boxes, scroll down in the Location: pull-down menu, select Skyline
College
& then click the Submit button.
Web
Links (related articles and web pages for evaluation)
1. The
American Dream
2. American Dream
3. Generation
Stuck: The One-two Punch of College Debt and a Recession
4. Colleges and
the Rebirth of the American Dream
5. Diversity,
Discourse, and the Working-Class Student
6. Opening
The Doors To American
Dream
7. The
Meritocracy Myth
8. Dual-Career Couples and the American
Dream
9. Socioeconomic
Status and College
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last revised: 10-11-11
by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA
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