Health Topics Research: Health Topics Home

For your topic paper you will want to use a variety of resources: books, journal articles from databases, and credible web sites. Use the database page to find links for the databases and online catalog for books.  There are also ebooks available through Ebsco and MackinVia.  Use the search engine page to find credible web sites.

Choosing a topic:  Sirs has lists of topics, Points of View has topics to choose from

Research:

Search Techniques for card catalog:

 use a Keyword search
use Boolean searches (and, or, not):  alcohol NOT fiction
 

Think of related words: if your topic is "colon cancer" try just cancer or diseases

Use table of contents or index in the books to help you.

Try a variety of searches; don’t give up after one search

Databases:

Sirs Knowledge Source: an excellent resource for papers.  It contains leading issues, pro-con sides with articles supporting each side,  notes organizer.

·         leading issues: top pick a topic, some topics are marked “new”

• ·         Show Pro/Con:  different viewpoints---yes or no
• ·         Look at articles below
• ·         Click on an article to find citation and tools for saving and printing: use MLA!
• ·         Do not put articles in your favorites
• ·         Show research tools: the note organizer, the topic overview, timeline, and statistics
• ·         The note organizer can save:  use the template for writing to persuade—they will send you a link

Points of View: use the charts/graph link on the right of the page

• You can sign in to leave notes
• You can pick a topic
• Overview of article: point and counterpoint
• Link for charts/graph on the right

Proquest:

·         put in search; click full text (very important or may not get full text!!)

·         results: use suggested topics, scholarly journals; you can choose between text or pdf file (abstract is a summary.)

·         source citation: click on “cite this” in the toolbar—make sure you choose MLA!

Ebsco:

·        by default has just one database selected, click on Choose Databases to select more

·          limit to full text (very important!!!)

·         Results: use subject headings on left to help you narrow results to a specific topic. Also look at the description; if it is a book review, it may not help you

·          Use toolbar at top to save, email, etc. Source citation: Click on Cite this article in the toolbar and use the MLA citation

***For most databases, do NOT add an article to your favorites, use the tools to bookmark or save a site. Otherwise, you may only have a temporary URL and not the actual URL