Research 101
Your starter kit for college-level research at Kennedy Library. Advance your research skills with the self-guided tutorials and videos below.
Workshop Slides, Handouts & Notes
- Workshop SlidesOnline slides to follow along in class and use later.
- Workshop Handouts & NotesOnline handouts and notes. Download to your own Google account to keep!
Specific Handouts:
Academic Services Librarian
On this page, you'll find research strategies and recommendations aimed towards specific assignment requirements (e.g., contemporary topics, conspiracy theories, newspapers, etc).
Contemporary or Controversial Topics
Databases (besides OneSearch)
- Ebook Central This link opens in a new window Ebook Central offers access to nearly 200.000 titles across academic and professional subject areas, including titles university presses and other scholarly publishers. Ebook Central combines formerly separate services Ebook Library (EBL), Ebrary, and MyiLibrary.
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window A comprehensive index of peer-reviewed scholarly journals in social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multicultural studies, as well as popular magazines published from 1990-present. Provides Full-text access to peer reviewed articles from thousands of journals.
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher features in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the economy. Each single-themed report provides an introductory overview, including pro-con issues; a background and chronology; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.
- Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window Provides information on key current social issues and “hot topics” from a number of perspectives. Includes: topic overviews; viewpoint articles; primary source documents; profiles of individuals, agencies and interest groups; statistical tables, charts and graphs; and other useful material for debates and argumentation writing assignments.
Search Strategies
- Find Current Information: pay attention to the date of publication. The currency/timeliness of sources is important.
- Start with broad search terms: refine your topic by using more specific subject/topic terms associated with relevant articles that you find.
- Look for Multiple Sides and Viewpoints: Think of it as listening to a conversation. In this case, an academic conversation.
Cal Poly / Local Information
Information Sources (besides OneSearch)
- California Newspapers (Newsbank) This link opens in a new window Searchable full text from California newspapers, including the Tribune (San Luis Obispo), the San Francisco Chronicle, the Fresno Bee, the Sacramento Bee, and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Search Strategies
Connect (synthesize) sources that connect the broad issue or problem with the local context.
- Search the scholarly and popular literature about the broad issue or problem. For example, free speech on college campuses.
- Search local sources (Mustang News, SLO Tribune, Cal Poly website) for local viewpoints and information. For example, controversial speakers at Cal Poly.
Newspapers
Information Sources (besides OneSearch)
- California Digital Newspaper Collection This link opens in a new window CDNC is a freely accessible repository of digitized California newspapers from 1846 to the present.
- California Newspapers (Newsbank) This link opens in a new window Searchable full text from California newspapers, including the Tribune (San Luis Obispo), the San Francisco Chronicle, the Fresno Bee, the Sacramento Bee, and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Google Newspapers This link opens in a new window Freely available digitized newspaper content. Includes historical archives of over 2,000 newspapers, many extending back to the 1800s.
- Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new window Ethnic NewsWatch covers a wide range of topics related to ethnicity and culture; it includes full-text coverage for many newspapers, magazines, and journals, with special attention to ethnic and minority press publications.
- ProQuest Global Newsstream This link opens in a new window Global Newsstream provides a large collection of news from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Australia, including newspapers, newswires, news journals, television and radio transcripts, blogs, podcasts, and digital-only websites in full-text format.
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window Digital archive offering full-text and full-image articles from the New York Times (1851 - 4 years ago) and the Los Angeles Times (1881 - 24 years ago). Both newspapers may be searched at once. See ProQuest Global Newsstream for more recent content.
- Westlaw This link opens in a new window Westlaw is a legal research database that includes case law, state and federal statutes, administrative codes, newspaper and magazine articles, public records, law journals, law reviews, and treatises.
Examples
- Example article from the New York Times available in print and electronically: https://goo.gl/CA9p6W
- Example article from the New York Times available only electronically: https://goo.gl/gWchCC
Citing an Article in a Newspaper (MLA 8th Edition)
Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper, Publication Date, Edition, Page Number(s).
Krugman, Andrew. "Fear of Eating." New York Times, 21 May 2007, late ed., p. A1.
Object Speech Assignment
Information Sources (besides OneSearch)
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window A comprehensive index of peer-reviewed scholarly journals in social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multicultural studies, as well as popular magazines published from 1990-present. Provides Full-text access to peer reviewed articles from thousands of journals.
- Ebook Central This link opens in a new window Ebook Central offers access to nearly 200.000 titles across academic and professional subject areas, including titles university presses and other scholarly publishers. Ebook Central combines formerly separate services Ebook Library (EBL), Ebrary, and MyiLibrary.
- Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window Oxford Very Short Introductions allow you to discover a new topic or subject through an intelligent and serious introduction written by authors who are experts in their field. The series covers a wide range of topics in areas including Arts and Humanities, Science and Mathematics, Social Sciences, Law, and Medicine and Health.
- Subject-Specific Databases Find the best library databases for your research by using the dropdown "Browse by Subject" option.
- TropicosUse this database to find the original formal description of a new plant species.
- Scientific AmericanUse this popular science magazine to learn about recently discovered species.
- Google• Websites/blogs/articles that introduce new species or objects.
• Websites/blogs/articles that refer to other research on your object.
• Newspapers where discoveries or inventions were made.
Search Strategies
Always look at a source with a specific goal in mind. In this case, we care about informative details.
- Find a topic. Use a source like Google to find a newly discovered species or something that just interests you.
- Try to find the basics. Newly discovered species tend to be better for an object speech because there is new research on it. Just because it is new to you, does not mean there will be new research on it.
- Don't be afraid to try again. If you are struggling to find information on your object, or you can't find anything from the last five years, pick a new object.
Analyze a Speech
Information Sources (besides OneSearch)
- Ebook Central This link opens in a new window Ebook Central offers access to nearly 200.000 titles across academic and professional subject areas, including titles university presses and other scholarly publishers. Ebook Central combines formerly separate services Ebook Library (EBL), Ebrary, and MyiLibrary.
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window A comprehensive index of peer-reviewed scholarly journals in social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multicultural studies, as well as popular magazines published from 1990-present. Provides Full-text access to peer reviewed articles from thousands of journals.
- Communication Source This link opens in a new window Communication Source offers abstracts and indexing as well as full-text content from publications worldwide pertaining to communication, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse, speech-language pathology, media studies and other fields relevant to the discipline. Communication Source is a complimentary upgrade to Communication & Mass Media Complete available to authorized Cal Poly users until June 30, 2023.
- MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window MLA International Bibliography indexes journals covering literature, language and linguistics, folklore, film, literary theory & criticism, dramatic arts, and the historical aspects of printing and publishing, as well as rhetoric and composition and the history, theory and practice of teaching language. Also included: MLA Directory of Periodicals.
Search Strategies
Find an article that either:
- Generally theorizes about rhetorical appeals used in the speech.
- Makes a claim about the speech or speaker.
Informative Speech
Information Sources (besides OneSearch)
Library Databases for articles and book chapters:
- Ebook Central This link opens in a new window Ebook Central offers access to nearly 200.000 titles across academic and professional subject areas, including titles university presses and other scholarly publishers. Ebook Central combines formerly separate services Ebook Library (EBL), Ebrary, and MyiLibrary.
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window A comprehensive index of peer-reviewed scholarly journals in social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multicultural studies, as well as popular magazines published from 1990-present. Provides Full-text access to peer reviewed articles from thousands of journals.
- Subject-Specific Databases Find the best library databases for your research by using the dropdown "Browse by Subject" option.
Library Databases for Background Sources:
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher features in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the economy. Each single-themed report provides an introductory overview, including pro-con issues; a background and chronology; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.
- Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window Oxford Very Short Introductions allow you to discover a new topic or subject through an intelligent and serious introduction written by authors who are experts in their field. The series covers a wide range of topics in areas including Arts and Humanities, Science and Mathematics, Social Sciences, Law, and Medicine and Health.
Search Strategies
Always look at a source with a specific goal in mind. In this case, we care about informative details.
- Find current information. Pay attention to the date of publication. The currency/timeliness of sources is important.
- Start with broad search terms. Refine your topic by using more specific subject/topic terms associated with relevant articles that you find.
- Look for multiple sides and viewpoints. Think of it as listening to a conversation.
Conspiracy Theories
Information Sources (besides OneSearch)
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window A comprehensive index of peer-reviewed scholarly journals in social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multicultural studies, as well as popular magazines published from 1990-present. Provides Full-text access to peer reviewed articles from thousands of journals.
- Ebook Central This link opens in a new window Ebook Central offers access to nearly 200.000 titles across academic and professional subject areas, including titles university presses and other scholarly publishers. Ebook Central combines formerly separate services Ebook Library (EBL), Ebrary, and MyiLibrary.
- Google• Websites/blogs/articles that promote the conspiracy theory.
• Websites/blogs/articles that debunk or analyze the conspiracy theory.
• Newspaper editorials (opinion).
Search Strategies
Think about how you will engage with the information source. What is your purpose for using it to research the conspiracy theory?
- Using a source to provide general information about the topic. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
- Using a source as evidence or example to analyze. For example, sources that believe the conspiracy theory. These do not need to be credible to be analyzed and evaluated.
- Using a source to engage its argument. Most will be scholarly sources written by researchers and scholars, or credible sources written by journalists and staff writers of the publication. These are the sources you engage in conversation.
Analyze an Advertisement
Information Sources (besides OneSearch)
- Ebook Central This link opens in a new window Ebook Central offers access to nearly 200.000 titles across academic and professional subject areas, including titles university presses and other scholarly publishers. Ebook Central combines formerly separate services Ebook Library (EBL), Ebrary, and MyiLibrary.
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window A comprehensive index of peer-reviewed scholarly journals in social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multicultural studies, as well as popular magazines published from 1990-present. Provides Full-text access to peer reviewed articles from thousands of journals.
- Communication Source This link opens in a new window Communication Source offers abstracts and indexing as well as full-text content from publications worldwide pertaining to communication, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse, speech-language pathology, media studies and other fields relevant to the discipline. Communication Source is a complimentary upgrade to Communication & Mass Media Complete available to authorized Cal Poly users until June 30, 2023.
- Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window Business Source Premier provides full text for journals covering marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics. Additional full text, non-journal content includes market research reports, industry reports, country reports, company profiles and SWOT analyses.
Search Strategies
Find an article that either:
- Generally theorizes about rhetorical appeals used in the commercial.
- Makes a claim about the brand/company that created the commercial.
Search Terms:
- General assignment directions:
- commercial
- advertising
- marketing
- analysis
- Specific to commercial:
- Themes (e.g. masculinity, femininity)
- Appeals (ethos, pathos, logos)
- Audience