Basic research strategies for conducting research on the Chicano Latino experience in the U.S.

1. Research
Strategies
CHLS 300
Susan Luévano
Ethnic Studies Librarian

2. Today’s Objectives:
Learn & practice research search
strategies/computer commands
Examine useful electronic resources
Learn where to find primary &
secondary sources

3. Developing a search
strategy
 Develop a general research concept
Conduct pre-research or background
research on your topic

4. Pre-Research - Reference
Sources
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Library Home page
Databases by title “G”
Latino American Experience
Library Home page
Databases by title “L”

5. Your turn
• Using your worksheet write your topic or thesis statement.
• Use both the Gale Virtual Reference Online the Latino American
Experience databases to find background data on your topic.

6. Developing a search
strategy
Develop a topic into a thesis statement
Develop research questions
Prompts: How, why, when, where, how
Break your thesis statement into key
concepts or keywords

7. Thesis, RQs,
Keywords/concepts
The leadership style of César Chávez’s in the United
Farmworkers Union contributed to the rise and decline of
the United Farmworkers.
Leadership
César
Chávez
United
Farmworkers
Union

8. Your turn
• Using your worksheet write your topic or thesis statement.
• Write at least 3 research questions
• Circle the keywords or key topics.

9. Tech Tools - Boolean
Operators

10. Tech Tool: Boolean
Operators

11. Tech Tool: Truncation*
Search root word with variant endings
Plurals
More results
Examples:
◦Immigrat*
◦Immigrate
◦Immigrates
◦Immigrated
◦Immigration

12. Tech Tool: Adjacency
◦Searches words next to each other in
order listed
◦Double quotation marks “xx”
◦Examples:
◦“Day laborer*”
◦“Environmental justice”
◦“People of color”
◦“Undocumented worker*”

13. Your turn
•Develop a search strategy using Boolean Operators
(AND, OR), truncation (*) and, if needed, adjacency
(“---”).

14. LibGuide – CHLS 300
http://csulb.libguides.com/chls300

15. What is a primary source?
A document which describes an event by a
witnesses (diaries, speeches, letters, interviews,
autobiographies, etc.)
Fundamental or original document relating to a
particular subject (government publication, law
or legislation, court reports, etc)
A source from the time of an event (newspaper
articles, news footage, songs, map, cartoons etc)

16. Primary sources
Search words:
◦Sources
◦Personal Narratives
◦Interviews
◦Letters
Examples:
◦“immigrant women” and sources
◦“Undocumented immigrant*” and letters
◦“Garment worker*” and interviews

17. What is a secondary source?
Information written by an authority who
reports on an event, person, place or thing
(i.e., a biography, etc.)
An accounting of events or experiences (i.e.,
a news story, etc.) not personally observed or
experienced by the writer.
A scholar's description or analysis of primary
sources. (i.e., a journal article, etc.)

18. Your turn
• Using your search strategy find 1 secondary article on your topic in America:
History & Life, Chicano Database and send the citation to yourself in Chicago
style format.
• Using your search strategy find 1 primary source on your topic in COAST
and send the bibliographic information to yourself via email.

19. Search Tips
What to do if you get too much?
Limit options, e.g. age, geography, ethnicity, gender
Field searching, e.g. subject headings, date, language
Combine searches or add more concepts
What to do if you get too few?
Eliminate concepts/use broader topic
Related articles
Cited references

20. Search Strategies
Review LIMIT -
Language
Boolean Truncation *
Adjacency “xxx xxx”
LIMIT LIMIT
LIMIT

21. How do I get full-text article?
21

22. HOW DO I GET THE FULL-TEXT
ARTICLE?
SUSAN LUÉVANO, CSULB, UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

23. BeachReach

25. Research Steps
Step 1: Develop search strategy using
◦ Pre-research in reference sources
◦ Identify unique Keywords that describe your search
◦ Create a search strategy using
◦ Research Questions
◦ Boolean operators, Truncation, Adjacency
Step 2: Find primary & secondary sources
◦ Research Databases
◦ Coast
◦ Interviews
◦ Internet
Step 3: Search the database
◦ Try different keywords, try different searches
◦ Select the best citations
◦ Retrieve the full-text
◦ Use internal citation generators when sending information

26. Research Steps
Step 4: Evaluate resources
◦ Read & analyze article
◦Step 5: Apply and use information
◦ Synthesize information
◦ Write up the finding and conclusion
◦ Create your bibliography & in-text citations using correct citation style
Use the CHLS 300 Research Guide as a starting point!!
Circular process – Repeat and Revise

27. Still need a little help?
Research Subject Guide –LIBGUIDES
Your subject librarian!
◦Susan Luévano –susan.luevano@csulb.edu
◦Office hours: Wed., 2:30-4:30 PM, Lib, 4th
floor, room 416
LibAnswers: http://csulb.libanswers.com/
Research & Information Desk, 1st
floor, University Library
Chat with a Librarian 24/7
◦http://www.csulb.edu/library/247ref.html