SOC 2100: Modern Social Problems
Humanities Librarian
Creating a Research Plan
1. Identify a research topic/thesis
- Does your topic meet the requirements of the assignment?
- Is your topic possible to complete given the available resources and services?
- Do you need to broaden or refine your topic?
- Old Dominion Idea Generator
2. Identify types and timeliness of information needed
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The way information is delivered changes over time, by format and considers audience.
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Do you need recent content?
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Original research or industry reports?
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Personal perspectives, like in interviews or newspaper editorials?
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3. Know where to look for your information
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Knowing what type of information you need helps you identify where to go to find that information. Not all information is found within the same search platform.
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Library Search for books and articles
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Subject Databases for more refined searching
- Websites and social media platform for personal perspectives
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The Flow of Info
Information does not stay the same. It evolves over time.
Information evolves overtime and changes in format, content, and quality. When choosing information, consider the flow of information. Are you selecting the best resource available?
Scholarly v. Trade v. Popular Publications
Comparing 3 types of articles
- How to tell if it is scholarly, trade, or a popular article.
When doing research, you will come across three main types of articles, Scholarly, Trade, and Popular. There is a time and place for each type of article.
- Scholarly: Highly reliable, use freely. Written by scholars for scholars
- Trade: Use with caution, written by people in the industry for people in the industry
- Popular: Avoid, authority and reliability hard to determine.
List of possible topics for research
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Business
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Crime and Law
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Drugs and Drug Abuse
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Education
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Environmental
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Equity and Social Issues
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Family issues
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Health
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Media and Communications
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Political Issues
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Psychology
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Sexulaity and Gender
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