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4.1: Learning Objectives

  • Page ID
    289232
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    Caution

    Don't skip this unit!

    Even if you're already confident with finding citations, working through this unit may give you new techniques & strategies in addition to what you're already doing well.

    Think of this unit as a scavenger hunt.

    Each source you collect is a clue - some might lead nowhere, while others will be immensely helpful. In this unit, you'll learn how to find these sources and decide which are worth pursuing. In the next Unit, you'll uncover connections and notice gaps in the research.

    Learning Objectives

    By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

    • Use keywords and subject headings in a database to find citations on your topic
    • Combine search terms effectively to find results
    • Refine your searches to expand or narrow results
    • Save searches within a database
    • Create an account in a citation management tool and save your citations

    Time Needed for This Unit

    Expect to spend 5-10 hours on this unit.

    This unit will take considerably more time than the previous two units for several reasons:

    • The readings are more detailed
    • You'll apply new skills, not just brainstorm ideas
    • I strongly encourage you to meet with your librarian (about an hour).

    Your actual time will depend on several factors:

    • How skilled and confident you already are at effectively using library databases to find relevant sources
    • How refined your topic is at this stage
    • How much literature exists on various facets of your research
    • How many useful database filters (limits) exist within relevant databases on your area of research

    Why This Matters

    Finding sources involves an iterative process.

    • Your first round of searching continues to refine your topic.
    • Refining your topic leads to finding patterns in the literature
    • Each adjustment points you toward additional searches on a narrower topic

    How many iterations of this cycle you need depends on the depth of your research (a short paper may need only one or two rounds, while a dissertation will require many).

    Building confidence in efficient search techniques ensures you:

    • Select the most relevant sources for your paper
    • Determine when you have enough sources
    • Identify what's missing in the literature

    Don't think of these rounds as errors or "starting over", but as focusing your lens.


    This page titled 4.1: Learning Objectives is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Frances Brady.

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