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Creating a Preliminary Bibliography Doing research on an unfamiliar topic requi

Creating a Preliminary Bibliography Doing research on an unfamiliar topic requires scanning the available information, refining your topic using what you have found, and selecting the most promising sources to work with. Take these steps to create your initial list of sources, which should be formatted using [your choice of] style. Note: You must have a librarian sign off on it before handing it in. Due in class on [date]. One: plan your search What is your general topic? What do you already know about it? Write a short paragraph summarizing your thoughts. What key concepts are involved? What alternative words could you use in your search (e.g. Native Americans or Indians, gaming or gambling or casinos). Two: make an initial scan of resources 1. What books are available? Use the library catalog to conduct a search; be sure to browse the shelves, too. Be prepared to broaden your search terms if necessary. It may be that the library doesn’t have a book that is entirely devoted to your topic. Instead ask yourself “what sort of book might include information on my topic?” 2. What articles are available? Use Academic Search Premier (on the library’s Website under the Articles tab) to conduct a search. Be prepared to narrow your search terms if necessary. Articles tend to be far more specifically focused than books. You might find it useful to limit your search to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals by clicking that option under the search boxes. 3. [if relevant] Are there valuable Web resources on your topic? Which government agencies or non-profit organizations might be likely to publish information of interest? As you search, consider which Web sources your readers would consider credible. A Web page that seems to have relevant information may nevertheless not be considered a persuasive or convincing source. Whenever you find a book or article that looks promising, check the subject headings for alternative search terms – and be prepared to reformulate your search accordingly. Also, pay attention to different perspectives on your topic. You may find interesting ways to narrow your search by focusing on one aspect or another. Three: make an initial assessment Gather together the books and articles you have identified and examine them critically. Which seem most relevant and useful? Are any of them out of date? Once you have skimmed the most promising sources, revisit steps one and two. Has your understanding of the topic changed? Are there different terms you would use for a search? Four: trace cited works Take a close look at the most useful of the sources you have found so far. Does it have a bibliography? Would any of those books or articles be relevant for your research? If so, take the following steps:  look up promising book titles in the library catalog using the “title” search option;  for journal articles, look up the title of the journal after choosing the Journals List tab (on the library’s Website) to see if we have online or print access to the right issue of the journal. Five: compile a preliminary bibliography Make a list of the most promising sources, with all the information needed for a full citation in [your choice of] style. Then take it to the reference desk. A librarian will review your sources and perhaps make suggestions for additional research. Make sure you get the librarian’s signature before you hand it in. A research project is like a fishing expedition: you reel in some sources, keep some and throw back others. As your project unfolds, the relevancy of your sources becomes clearer. In fact, if you work like a lot of students, your source page may the very last page you finesse. Until that time, it’s important to keep track of your sources by compiling a preliminary bibliography. Taking a few minutes to document information as you gather your “catches” will save you untold time in trying to create a source page at the end of your research project. Sponsored Link Still finding a computer? More than 60000 avail @ Ayosdito. High Quality. Good price. Try Now! www.ayosdito.ph / computers Step 1 Find out whether your research paper should follow the style of the Modern Language Association or the American Psychological Association. This way, you can place each source in the appropriate style as you compile your bibliography page. MLA calls the bibliography page “Works Cited” while APA calls it “References.” Step 2 Create separate headings on your preliminary bibliography page for “online sources,” “books,” “periodicals” and “consumer publications.” Then consult MLA or APA for the correct citation style for each source and put an example for each underneath the heading. Eliminate these examples as your bibliography page develops, but this important time-saver will allow you to simply follow the style example rather than consult the MLA or APA stylebook every time you make a new entry to your working bibliography. Step 3 Leave room under each bibliographical entry so that you can explain the source’s relevance or importance to your paper. Call this your “source rationale.” Write succinct notes that you can decipher later, such as “Good definition of XXX in chapter 3” or “Must have description of YYY experiment in chapter 7.” This step will force you to spend a few minutes evaluating a source as you proceed with your project rather than facing an “ocean” of books and articles at the end. Step 4 Follow the structure of your preliminary bibliography dutifully and for every source you gather. Be sure to copy and paste the URL address of online sources into your preliminary bibliography. Do not run the risk of writing them manually because you may unwittingly miss a character or two that may thwart your ability to locate the source later. Step 5 Compile more sources than you need for each category so that you can scrutinize them later to make your final choices. Be judicious in your final choices. If you cannot validate how a source would enhance your paper, do not include it in your preliminary bibliography. Step 6 Eliminate the headings when you are finished with your preliminary bibliography and alphabetize your author sources by the last name, as both MLA and APA style require. You may wish to copy and paste your “source rationale” notes to another document, especially if your teacher expects you to explain why you chose the sources you did. uploads/s3/ preliminary-bibliography.pdf