Library Research Worksheet
DEVELOP YOUR KEYWORDS
Write your research question: What is the central question about the film?
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Write down related keywords, ideas, and subjects:
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Write down synonyms (words that are related to or mean the same thing as your keywords):
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GETTING THE BIG PICTURE
A good place to start your research is in a specialized or general encyclopedia or reference work. The reference area of the library has encyclopedias on many topics.
Search for an encyclopedia or reference work that deals with the area you are researching and write down the title:
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Write down the title and author of an article in the encyclopedia you have found.
Title:________________________________________________________________________
Author:______________________________________________________________________
FINDING BOOKS USING SUNY LIBRARY
Write down the citations (MLA) to two books you have found that are relevant to your topic:
1. Citation____________________________________________________________________________
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2. Citation ____________________________________________________________________________
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LOCATING SPECIFIC DETAILS – DATABASE SEARCHING
Choose a database from the library’s list of databases at: https://libguides.oldwestbury.edu/az.php
A-Z DatabasesThe MLA International Bibliography is an essential tool for research in all aspects of modern languages and literature. Available as a searchable online database of more than 2.8 million records and constantly updated by scholars in the field, the bibliography is used by academics and teachers around the world to find and share their work.libguides.oldwestbury.edu
The library subscribes to both general and more specialized databases that provide access to a variety of articles.
Using your keywords and search terms look for newspaper articles, magazine articles and scholarly journal articles.
Find three articles relevant to your topic or main points:
Database____________________________________________________________________
Article Title___________________________________________________________________
Author(s)____________________________________________________________________
Date, volume number, issue number, pages _________________________________________
Database____________________________________________________________________
Article Title___________________________________________________________________
Author(s)____________________________________________________________________
Date, volume number, issue number, pages _________________________________________
Database____________________________________________________________________
Article Title___________________________________________________________________
Author(s)____________________________________________________________________
Date, volume number, issue number, pages _________________________________________
FINDING INFORMATION ON THE WEB
KEYWORDS: ______________________________________________________
URL:______________________________________
Date accessed_______________________________
What makes this websites useful? How do you know the information is trustworthy? ____________________________________________________________________________
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URL:______________________________________
Date accessed_______________________________
What makes this websites useful? How do you know the information is trustworthy? ____________________________________________________________________________
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Second Paper
Developing ideas for your paper
(1 page)
Answer the following questions (2-3 sentences each)
1. What is my film?
2. What is my research question?
3. I am interested in answering my research question because:
4. What I already know is:
5. What I would like to learn more about is:
6. In what ways is answering your research question relevant or meaningful to you and/or the community at large? How does it relate to society? In what ways?
7. I may be able to find information on this topic in (try to think of places other than a
Google search):