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LMC 3318

Activity 1: create a search strategy

We will do this activity as a group.

Follow the model of the self-driving car research question. This question contains three components: self-driving cars, safety, and humans.

Inverted pyramid with text Topic: Cars, then Narrower: Self-driving Cars, then Research Question: self driving cars safer than those driven by people?

  1. What is a question we can ask about biomedicine and culture?
  2. What are the components of this question?
  3. What are some keywords we can use for each component?

Activity 2: search databases

You may do this activity on your own or work with a partner.

MLA International Bibliography

  1. Go to the Find Scholarly Sources tab and click the link to MLA International Bibliography.
  2. Use the search boxes at the top of the screen to search for 2-3 concepts using the Boolean AND.
    1. If you don't have a topic of your own, you can search for history of medicine AND literature
  3. Try out some of the advanced tools that MLA offers.
    1. MLA Thesaurus (tab at top of screen)
    2. Search filters: peer reviewed, dates, source types

JSTOR

  1. Return to the Find Scholarly Sources tab and click the link to JSTOR.
  2. Open the Advanced Search.
  3. Search for keywords and synonyms related to one of your search concepts using OR.
    1. If you don't have a topic of your own, you can search for medical ethics OR bioethics
  4. Use the Search Within Results box to add keywords for another concept - something you want to know about the first concept you searched.
  5. Try one of the subject filters to see articles from journals in that discipline.

Activity 3: choose an appropriate source

Time permitting! If we don't get to this in class, you can still use these questions to evaluate the sources you find.

Choose one of your search results from Activity 2 and answer the following questions:

  • Can you tell what it is?
    • You need to find scholarly sources including peer-reviewed journal articles and books/chapters. Is this item one of those?
    • Check carefully: Is it a book review or another type of publication that lacks depth or rigor?
  • Can you tell what it's about?
    • Does the database offer subject headings or keywords for this item?
    • Does the item have an abstract?
  • Can you get the full text?
    • Is the full text available in the database?
    • If not, is there a GT button? Does clicking that button lead you to the full text?
  • Can this item lead to other relevant sources?
    • Can you access the item's references list?
    • Can you find out where this item has been cited?