As we watch the video think about these questions.
What is the purpose of peer-review?
Why do you think peer-review is important?
What are some problems with the peer-review process?
What do you think about the role of the editor in the process?
How could the process disadvantage some researchers?
Databases don't work like Google. They don't go out to get as many results as possible even if the results don't relate to your topic. Databases are built to give you results that are highly relevant to your research queries. This means it is important to think about your topic and develop KEYWORDS (words that describe the main ideas of your topic) for searching in a database.
Database results lists can look intimidating because results in the lists are mostly academic in nature and have long titles with unfamiliar terminology. Looking at abstracts for articles and using the built-in tools in databases can help you focus a large results list. Selecting source types, data ranges, and subjects can all help sort through a database results list to get what you need.
The OneSearch tool is good for general research or cross-disciplinary research, but there are times when subject specific databases like ERIC or Education Source are much more useful since the results of searches will be focused on a specific subject area like Education.
Keywords Example
Topic/Research Question:
How can technology improve language acquisition among high school ESOL students.
TECHNOLOGY: software, apps
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: reading, speaking
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: teenagers, teens
ESOL: English-language learners
This is a useful tool to get articles (or books, DVDs, etc.) that the SU Library does not own. You already have an account which you can access using your SU username and password - like you use when accessing BlackBoard.
How does this work? When you make a request for an article, the SU Library sends that request to other libraries in the United States. One of those libraries that owns the article will "fill" or send a copy of that article to the SU Library in PDF format. You will get an email to check your Interlibrary Loan account for the file. You log in and retrieve the PDF. You can download or print the article from the PDF, or you can just view it from your Interlibrary Loan account.
Interlibrary Loan FAQ ill@stevenson.edu
