2. You have a topic…so what’s next?
As you are working through the brainstorming process, you may discover that
though you may know quite a bit about your topic, there are still some gaps in
your knowledge of it.
Example: I’d like to research the Quaker Abolitionist movement, but what are the
exact date ranges? Who are all they key players? What about Quaker theology leads
them to believe in abolitionism?
You may want to do some pre-research so that you can learn more
well-known facts about the subject.
PreResearch is also a great time to reread information that you may already
be familiar with as a way to help you organize your thoughts and ideas as
you begin the research process.
3. Pre-Research is a process that allows you to
Expand your keyword list.
Become more familiar with terminology used by researchers.
Discover new information that helps you to narrow your research topic.
Not all of the sources and information that you discover during the
Pre-Research phase will be used in your final product or paper.
4. Sources for Pre-Research
There are many great resources for pre-research available
through the Dover Library.
Credo Reference
CQ Researcher
Opposing Viewpoints
GALE Virtual Reference
Each of these can be located by going to the Find Resources tab on the library’s
homepage. Choose the link to view the Online Databases by Title and choose
the appropriate alphabetic tab for the database you wish to use.
5. Creating a Keyword List
Keywords and keyword phrases are the terms you will use to research your
topic in the online catalog and online databases.
Write down all of your ideas, interesting terms, names, concepts that you
encounter while researching, reading, and during class discussions.
By developing a keyword list, you are designing a customized “research
language” that allows you to communicate with the databases.
Your keyword list will also become a valuable thesaurus of terms that will
be helpful when you begin to write your papers, articles, and
dissertations.
Creating a Keyword List makes the research process more efficient.
6. Creating a keyword list
This process allows you to learn and develop your knowledge
of the field’s unique and evolving vocabulary.
A Keyword List is something that you will continue to
develop throughout the research and writing process.
Take a look at the example topic on the next slide and the
keyword list created from it.
7. Creating a Keyword List
Abolitionist response to slavery.
Abolitionist
Quakers
Society of Friends
Baptists
William Wilberforce
Slave Trade Act of 1807
Slavery Abolition Act 1833
Slavery
American Civil War
United Kingdom
8. Using ATLA and Bulldog OneSearch to add to your keyword list.
As you search in the online
databases, notice that the
database you are using is probably
giving you clues for additional
keywords to add to your list.
While using ATLA or Bulldog
OneSearch, check out the
narrowers in the left toolbar.
Don’t forget the value of the
article record!
There is often a section labeled:
descriptors, author supplied
keywords, or subjects. This is a
great place to find new buzz words
and vocabulary being used by
researchers in the field.
