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Maria Garcia's ENGL 1301

This guide provides titles of and links to library resources that can help you with your writing assignments on these topics: Plato's Republic (myth of the cave), King's "A Worthless Crusade," Mancini's "Politics of Power," and Shulman's "Love is a Fallacy." Good luck, and let me know if you have questions or need help at any time!

Remember: Online databases require a login from off-campus.You can get login info HERE. (What does the login page look like?)

I. Define Topic - what you KNOW v. what you want to FIND OUT

Writing Assignments: Read through and look for key terms and phrases. What kind of information do you need to find? Criticisms? Essays? Book chapters? Short articles or reviews?

II. Devise Strategy - create a flexible search plan, list key words/names

If you're researching a particular work, you basically have two elements to work with: the author's name & the title of the work. Same thing for movies. Use the title of the movie and other keywords to find reviews. Use those to do your search:

  • machiavelli
  • machiavelli AND prince
  • machiavelli AND criticism
  • plato AND cave
  • plato AND republic
  • plato AND republic AND criticism
  • plato AND republic AND cave
  • plato AND criticism
  • time machineAND movie AND review
  • time machine AND film AND review

If you're researching a particular topic, such as "drug laws " or "power in the workplace ", then you need to list as many synonyms and related key words as possible. Use the list of words to create multiple combinations with the word AND in order to have a successful search:

  • drugs and legalization
  • marijuana and legalization
  • illegal drug* and laws
  • drug war and legis*
  • power and workplace
  • women and gender role* and workplace
  • glass ceiling and confidence
  • gender and work
  • power and perception and workplace
power
and
women
and
workplace
or
 
or
 
or
influence
and
gender
and
career
or
 
or
 
or
control
and
sex roles
and
job

So...what's the difference between KEYWORD v. SUBJECT searching?

  • Keyword search = to combine key words or for more specific search; finds items that contain your keywords
  • Subject search = for broad search or when you know terminology; finds items that are about that topic

TIPS: Use symbols such as the * at the end of key words to pick up alternate endings. drug* = drug, drugs, etc.

Use keyword and subject searching together: start with a keyword search, find an item that's relevant, then look for subject headings within item descriptions and incorporate those subject words into your search strategy.

 

Research Process

III. Search Sources

A. Reference sources - background info, facts, critiques

Online databases require a login from off-campus.You can get login info HERE.

Sources labeled Ref are in print and available at the SAC Library, 2nd floor reference room. You can also check your local library catalog to see if they own a copy

NOTE: The Ref print sources below contain both partial AND complete critical essays. Look for the phrase "in the following essay" to find the full critique.
Location & Call No. Reference Source Title
Ref BJ63 .E45 Encyclopedia of ethics (3 v.)
Ref BJ63 .E54 Ethics (3 v.)
Ref HF5387 .B8665 Business ethics
Ref JK2249 .P66 Politicians and ethics
Free web site Occupational Outlook Handbook; also see: more Career Resources
Online database Literature Resource Center
Online database Magill on Literature
Ref PA3002 .A5 Ancient Writers: Greece and Rome
Ref PN610.C53 Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism
Ref PN50 .L574 Literature and its times : profiles of 300 notable literary works and the historical events that influenced them
Ref PN1993.3 .M34 Magill's Cinema Annual (1982-2005; look in the last vol. - index by Title; offers an in-depth review and listing of other published reviews)
Ref PN1995 .F463 Film Review Annual (1981-2001; collection of published reviews)
Online database CQ Researcher (social issues, hot topics)
Online database Opposing Viewpoints (social issues, hot topics)
Online database Gale Virtual Reference Library (reference for all topics)
Online database Facts.com (World Almanac, hot topics)
Online database Oxford Reference Online (reference for all topics, literary terms! - search for: fallacy)
Online database Credo Reference (GREAT for definitions of terms like: leadership)

B. BOOKS, VIDEOS, other items - in-depth info

  • QuickSearch Books & Media (Catalog)

    By:     Search for:


  • Remember the old timey Card Catalog? There were 3 ways you could search it: Author, Title, SUBJECT
  • With the online Catalog, start with a Keyword, then look for Subject headings. For instance, this keyword search: machiavelli AND prince gives you a hits list where one book's description lists the subject heading: Leadership -- History. By clicking on that subject heading, you can easily browse books about the history of leadership.

  • netLibrary (eBooks) - try a Keyword or Full Text search; put phrases "in quotes"
  • full-text search for: plato AND republic AND "book vii" AND cave
  • How to check out books & eBooks

 

eBook

 

C. periodical ARTICLES - highlight specific aspects

Online databases require a login from off-campus.You can get login info HERE.

NOTE: If the full-text of the article isn't available online use the Journal Locator. Just type in the periodical title to see if SAC Library owns a paper copy or if another database offers full-text.

D. free WEB SITES - spin the wheel, see what you get!

 

IV. Evaluate and Cite your sources

Research Process

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One of the Alamo Community Colleges. The Alamo Community College District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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