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Professor McCarthy - Pop Culture Seminar
Research Tip #3: Conduct Your Initial Search
Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons
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Professor McCarthy - Pop Culture Seminar
Spring 2021
Pop Culture Seminar Professor McCarthy
Gen Z and Pop Culture Research Strategies
Research Tips
Research Tip #1: Research Question and Key Words
Research Tip #2: Expand Your Key Words
Research Tip #3: Conduct Your Initial Search
Which type of information source should I use?
Example of Initial Search
Research Tip #4: Refine Your Search
On-campus Versus Off-Campus Access to Library Databases
Desired Item Not Held by Berry Library? Use "Interlibrary Loan"
Berry Library Information Sources
Biographies
Magazines and Newspaper Articles
Current Scholarly Journal Articles
Historical Documents, Articles, Ephemera, and Images
Works of Art, Literature, Film, and Dance
Web Sites
Fake News & Disinformation
Finding Articles and Making a Bibliography in MLA Format
MLA Formatting and Style Guide
APA Formatting and Style Guide
Chicago Manual of Style
Help
Which type of information source should I use?
Example of Initial Search
Step One:
At the Library's home page ( http://www.salemstate.edu/library), find "Databases" and Click "Go."
Step Two:
In the right side of the screen that opens, click "Academic Search Complete."
On the next screen, click "Advanced Search."
Step Three:
Enter key words.
Enter a different concept on each line of the Advanced Search template. This makes it easier for you to change terms to modify the search.
Step Four:
Scrutinize the list of articles (or records as Librarians like to say) that appear.
In this search, there was only one item that I considered useful.
The other items were too vague or included things because one of the people mentioned (like Michelle Obama) had been born in the 1960s.
I will modify my search!
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Research Tip #2: Expand Your Key Words
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Research Tip #4: Refine Your Search >>