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Use this guide to get started with research for WRIT 1301.
Getting started - planning and finding background info on topic
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Assignment CalculatorEnter in the due date for your research project (paper, speech, lab report) and get a suggested time-line for completing with links to the resources to help you succeed in each step.
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Effective ULearn new ways to manage your time, manage stress, take better notes, and prepare for tests.
Finding Background Information
These online sources can help you to choose and refine your topic. They will also provide you with the background information and keywords and search terms.
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CQ ResearcherCQ Researcher provides in-depth coverage of important issues of the day. Reports are written by experienced journalists, footnoted, and professionally fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research. Shorter "Hot Topics" articles provide a solid introduction to subjects in demand.
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Public AgendaThis free site provided extensive information on current and controversial issues such as abortion and legal gaming, the family, education etc. Each segment has an overview, facts and trends, different perspectives, links to news stories, and results of public opinion polls.
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Opposing Viewpoints in ContextFind articles on current issues, including viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, magazine and newspaper articles.
Tutorial: Choosing a research paper topic
After completing this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Find ideas and language on a topic using online tools and techniques
- Use techniques like mind mapping, the 5W’s, and freeform writing to narrow a large topic
Tutorial: Creating an effective search strategy
After completing this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Use meaningful keywords to find the best sources
- Apply search strategies like AND and OR to connect keywords
Use article database to find articles from academic journals, magazines, newspapers
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Academic Search PremierA great place to start your research on any topic, search multidisciplinary, scholarly research articles. This database provides access to scholarly and peer reviewed journals, popular magazines and other resources. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
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JSTORFind full text articles in academic journals or books on the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. JSTOR provides articles from the journal's first issue. In some cases the most recent 2-5 years may not be available. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
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ScopusSearch for information from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Covers the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
Search and find newspapers and magazines
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Ethnic NewsWatchEthnic NewsWatch is a current resource of full-text newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press from 1990, providing researchers access to essential, often overlooked perspectives.
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U.S. NewsstreamSearch the most recent premium U.S. news content, as well as archives which stretch back into the 1980s featuring newspapers, newswires, blogs, and news sites in active full-text format.
Guide for reading magazines, current news, commentary, and opinion
This guide is a selected collection of current journals and magazines of news, commentary, and opinion. Here is a sample of what is sometimes called 'Long form journalism" -- longer, in-depth articles written by journalists but usually about or with experts like researchers or professors. They are written with less jargon then scholarly journal articles and are great sources to consult as you learn more about a topic. They feature stories about current or controversial topics. You can "browse" and read current issues or search.
Find statistics and public opinion
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Statistical InsightSearch statistical publications from US and state government agencies, international intergovernmental organizations, professional and trade organizations, business organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, and universities.
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iPoll (Roper Center for Public Opinion Research)iPOLL is a collection of polling sources from the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. It includes surveys from 150 polling organizations that include all major news outlets, Gallup polls, and other research institutions. Use these polls to compare public opinion from 1935-present on a range of issues.
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Polling the NationsPolling the Nations is an online database of public opinion polls containing the full text of 700,000+ questions and responses, from 18,000+ surveys and 1,700+ polling organizations, conducted from 1986 through the present in the United States and more than 100 other countries around the world. Limited to 4 simultaneous users.
Tutorial: What does it mean to be a scholarly source?
After completing this tutorial, you will be able to:
- Recognize a scholarly (versus a popular) source
- Understand how a scholarly source differs from other types of sources
Citing your sources (e.g. MLA, APA, etc.)
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Citation Managers (e.g. Zotero, EndNote Online, etc.)Citation managers are software packages used to create personalized databases of citation information and notes. They allow you to: import and organize citation information from article indexes and other sources; save links to pdfs and other documents; format citations for your papers and bibliographies using APA and many other styles; and include your own notes.
Many article databases (e.g. Academic Search Premier, Google Scholar) will create a citation for you. After you found the item, look for "cite" or "quotes." Here are examples:
In Google Scholar:
In Academic Search Premier:
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Chicago Manual of Style OnlineThis resource provides online access to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style, which covers a variety of topics from manuscript preparation and publication to grammar, usage, and citation formating. The citation quick guide covers both the author-date and the notes and bibliography systems.
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Citation and research help (from Purdue OWL)Examples and instructions for how to cite many types of materials in MLA, APA, Chicago, and AMA styles.
Get help from the U Libraries - Online!
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Peer Research ConsultantsMake an online 30 minute appointment for one-on-one peer assistance with your research. Get help with researching your topic, finding sources, citing sources and more. Peer Research Consultants can also help you get started with faculty-sponsored research.
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Chat 24/7 Online with the LibrariesAsk us anything! Chat with a librarian, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with any research or library questions.
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Schedule an online consultation with the LibrariesSchedule an online consultations for personalized research support primarily for University of Minnesota faculty, instructors, graduate and undergraduate students and staff.
Review - Intro to Library Research Tutorial
After completing these tutorials, you will be able to:
- Identify strategies for choosing a research topic
- Search effectively
- Identify and use a library database
- Evaluate sources
Library research guides for current issues and topics
Doing research about current topics can challenging because the facts and stories continue to evolve. They are also impacted by the long and complex issues and histories underlying all events.
Below are example of guides which might be helpful to you as you do research on your topic.
Last Updated: May 24, 2022 9:31 PM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/course/WRIT/1301