WGSS 101 Research methods for Women's Studies, spring 2013.

1. Susan C. Luévano, WGSS Librarian
WGSS 101

2. • Step 1: Develop search strategy
•Thesis statement
•Pre-research/Background information
•Research questions
•Identify keywords
•Use boolean operators (and , or)
•Use truncation (*)
• Step 2: Select databases
•Identify peer-reviewed sources
•Books - COAST

3. • Step 3: Search the database
•Try different keywords and searches
•Move from keyword to database subject headings
•Select the best citations
•Use internal citation generators
• Step 4: Evaluate resources
•Read and assess content

4. • Setp 5: Apply and use information
•Synthesize information
•Write up the finding and conclusion
•Create bibliography
• Circular process – Repeat and Revise
• Use the WGSS Research Guide!!
•http://csulb.libguides.com/wgss

5. • http://csulb.libguides.com/wgss

6. • Develop a thesis statement
• The Republican Party 2012 electoral
campaign conducted an attack on women’s
reproductive rights.

7. • Define the question
• Ask why????
• What were the theoretical and concrete
conditions that have promoted the anti-women’s
rhetoric?
• Who are the individual Republicans creating
the attacks?
• Have the attacks helped or hindered the
candidates?

8. • Break down your thesis statement by concept
• The Republican Party’s attack on women’s
reproductive rights during the 2012 election
exposed the party’s regressive position on
women’s issues.

10. • Boolean Operators
• AND Republicans
• OR
2012 Reproductive
Rights
Teenager
teenager adolescent OR
Adolescent

11. • Truncation
•More results
• Plurals
• Asterisk *
• Feminis*
• Feminist
•Feminism
• Feminisms

12. • Peer Reviewed Journals
• Based on research & written for other scholars
• Content & research model are reviewed by other scholars
• In-depth
• Extensive bibliography

13. • Popular Sources
• General reading level
• Short articles
• No citations
• Photos & advertisements

14. • Http://www.csulb.edu/library
• 1) Test or preliminary search for journal articles, books & more
• 2) Databases by topic

17. • Popular & scholarly including peer reviewed titles
• 100 international journals
• Coverage: 1978 to present

18. • General/Interdisciplinary
• Popular & scholarly
• Limit: Peer review box
• Coverage: 1975 to present
• Need the full-text?

23. • GenderWatch
• Academic Search Complete
• Sociological Abstracts
• SocIndex
• PubMed
• PyschInfo

24. Books, media &
government docs

25. Use floor & call
number to find the
book.

26. • BeachReach
• Anything
• Articles & book chapters (2-5 days)
• Link+
• Books & some media ONLY
• 2-5 days
• Other CSU Libraries

28. • Ask at the Reference Desk, 1st West
• Consultations
• Susan Luévano
• Office hours:
• U Library, 4th floor room 416,
• Wednesday, 2:30 pm -4:30 pm
• Susan.Luevano@csulb.edu