The Research ProcessThe Research Processby Jason Russellby Jason Russell

Research is fundamentalResearch is fundamental Nothing will make you better, faster at Nothing will make you better, faster at

debate than doing really good researchdebate than doing really good research Research not only produces more Research not only produces more

evidence, but produces more ideas about evidence, but produces more ideas about debate, more innovative types of debate, more innovative types of arguments, more familiarity with the arguments, more familiarity with the language used in debates, and generally language used in debates, and generally makes you rule. makes you rule.

Research is the thing about debate that Research is the thing about debate that will most benefit you outside of debate.will most benefit you outside of debate.

Where do I do research?Where do I do research?

The GU LibraryThe GU Library– http://www.gonzaga.edu/Academics/Libr

aries/Foley-Library/– Listed in the center of the page is Listed in the center of the page is

Databases A-ZDatabases A-Z

Databases at GUDatabases at GU

WorldCat – A database of databasesWorldCat – A database of databases My favorite database – It’s literally a My favorite database – It’s literally a

clearinghouse of most of the clearinghouse of most of the university databasesuniversity databases

WorldCat sync’s to the entire WorldCat sync’s to the entire Washington University library system, Washington University library system, making finding everything at Foley making finding everything at Foley easiereasier

Books are where good cards liveBooks are where good cards live

WorldCat continued…WorldCat continued… The arrival /  

Author: Author: Tan, Shaun.Tan, Shaun.Publication: Publication: New York : Arthur A. New York : Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007Levine Books, 2007

Document: Document: English : Book : Fiction : Juvenile audienceEnglish : Book : Fiction : Juvenile audience Libraries WorldwideLibraries Worldwide: 2592    : 2592    Foley LibraryFoley Library More Like This:More Like This:  

Search for versions with same title and author |  | Advanced options ...

   See more details for locating this item  See more details for locating this item 

WorldCat continued…WorldCat continued… FirstSearch indicates your institution owns the item.FirstSearch indicates your institution owns the item. Libraries worldwide that own item: 2592     : 2592     Foley LibraryFoley Library  Search the catalog at your library Borrow this item from another library (Interlibrary Loan)  (Interlibrary Loan)

LOCATIONCALL # STATUSLOCATIONCALL # STATUS   HAYDEN CURRICULUM    Fic T1536ar 2007   SHELF    SHELF  POLYTECH CURRICULUM  Fic T1536ar 2007   SHELF    SHELF  WEST JOURNALS    Fic T1536ar 2007   ON EXHIBIT   ON EXHIBIT

Databases at GUDatabases at GU

Academic Search CompleteAcademic Search Complete An EBSCO databaseAn EBSCO database Contains tons of periodicals, a very Contains tons of periodicals, a very

useful resourceuseful resource

Academic Search Premier Cont’dAcademic Search Premier Cont’d

Search modes Search modes – Boolean/PhraseBoolean/Phrase– Find all my search termsFind all my search terms– Find any of my search termsFind any of my search terms– SmartText SearchingSmartText SearchingHint

Apply related words Apply related words Also search within the full text of the Also search within the full text of the

articles articles

Academic Search Premier Cont’dAcademic Search Premier Cont’d

Military Policy Options to Revise the French Military Presence in the Horn of Africa.Full Text Full Text Available By: Liebl, Vernie. Comparative Strategy, Available By: Liebl, Vernie. Comparative Strategy, Jan/Feb2008, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p79-87, 9p; DOI: Jan/Feb2008, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p79-87, 9p; DOI: 10.1080/01495930701839787; (10.1080/01495930701839787; (AN 31168057AN 31168057))

Subjects: DJIBOUTI; FRANCE; DJIBOUTI -- Foreign Subjects: DJIBOUTI; FRANCE; DJIBOUTI -- Foreign relations; FRANCE -- Foreign relations -- 1995-; relations; FRANCE -- Foreign relations -- 1995-; FRANCE -- Military relationsFRANCE -- Military relations

Database: Academic Search CompleteDatabase: Academic Search Complete Add to folder Relevancy:  Add to folder Relevancy:  PDF Full Text (54KB) PDF Full Text (54KB) Full Text Options  Full Text Options  

JSTORJSTOR

JSTOR is a cool, full-text database JSTOR is a cool, full-text database that also allows you to search within that also allows you to search within the text of the articles contained. the text of the articles contained.

The other primary benefit of JSTOR is The other primary benefit of JSTOR is that it contains only peer-reviewed that it contains only peer-reviewed (i.e. high quality, academic) research(i.e. high quality, academic) research

Jstor Cont’dJstor Cont’d

Advanced search allows you to Advanced search allows you to specify the sources you’ll specify the sources you’ll search, enables full-text search, enables full-text searching, and allows more searching, and allows more boolean modifiers. boolean modifiers.

Advanced search must be Advanced search must be enabled from the start page.enabled from the start page.

Lexis-NexisLexis-Nexis

Lexis (legal) – Nexis (news)Lexis (legal) – Nexis (news) Full text database, allows you to Full text database, allows you to

search within the text search within the text Best for really current events Best for really current events

(politics, econ, relations)(politics, econ, relations)

Project MuseProject Muse

Sick K cardzSick K cardz Full-text searches, full-text retrievalFull-text searches, full-text retrieval Not at all for noobsNot at all for noobs

Think TanksThink TanksWhat is a think tank?What is a think tank?

Transportation Infrastructure Think Tanks:Transportation Infrastructure Think Tanks: Bureau of Transportation StatisticsBureau of Transportation Statistics Center for Transportation StudiesCenter for Transportation Studies Minnesota Transportation LibrariesMinnesota Transportation Libraries Transportation Research BoardTransportation Research Board Voorhees Transportation CenterVoorhees Transportation Center Surface Transportation Policy ProjectSurface Transportation Policy Project Transport Research Knowledge Centre (UK)Transport Research Knowledge Centre (UK) Transportation Research Board (TRB)Transportation Research Board (TRB) Urban InstituteUrban Institute Bipartisan Policy CenterBipartisan Policy Center Eno Transportation Foundation Eno Transportation Foundation Government Committee on Transportation InfrastructureGovernment Committee on Transportation Infrastructure Victoria Transport Policy Institute (CA)Victoria Transport Policy Institute (CA)

Think Tanks cont’dThink Tanks cont’d

Generally known and useful think tanks Generally known and useful think tanks that speak to transportation policy:that speak to transportation policy:

The Heritage FoundationThe Heritage Foundation The Brookings InstitutionThe Brookings Institution The CATO InstituteThe CATO Institute RANDRAND American Enterprise InstituteAmerican Enterprise Institute Hoover InstitutionHoover Institution

Sick Google TipsSick Google Tips

Use the cache Use the cache Shows highlighting of search termsShows highlighting of search terms

GUGU Libraries Libraries

LibraryLibrary One Search retrieves many  One Search retrieves many articles, books, and other resources articles, books, and other resources from the from the GUGULibraries' collection. Libraries' collection. About the About the LibraryLibrary One Search  One Search ......lib.lib.gugu.edu/ - Cached - Similar.edu/ - Cached - Similar

Sick Google Tips Cont’dSick Google Tips Cont’d

Google Custom SearchGoogle Custom Search Allows a user to target specific sites to Allows a user to target specific sites to

search for a particular issuesearch for a particular issue Go to Go to http://www.google.com/cse/http://www.google.com/cse/ and click the  and click the

blue button on top-rightblue button on top-right Name & describe it, enter the websites Name & describe it, enter the websites

(make sure to use root sites, not a specific (make sure to use root sites, not a specific embedded page)embedded page)

Run a test to see if it works as designedRun a test to see if it works as designed

Sick Google Tips Cont’dSick Google Tips Cont’d Do searches in quotations where applicable Do searches in quotations where applicable

(i.e. “transportation infrastructure” not (i.e. “transportation infrastructure” not transportation infrastructure)transportation infrastructure)

Use advanced search options to delimit your Use advanced search options to delimit your termsterms

Increase your results per page (to like a Increase your results per page (to like a million)million)

Be persistent – Google is not the smartest Be persistent – Google is not the smartest search engine; it’s just the biggest. You’ll need search engine; it’s just the biggest. You’ll need to look through a lot of pages a lot of times. to look through a lot of pages a lot of times.

Sick Google TipsSick Google Tips Cont’dCont’d

Use Google News/Create Google alerts Use Google News/Create Google alerts – Politics is a perfect example. You can – Politics is a perfect example. You can tell Google to give you every article tell Google to give you every article that says “political capital” and that says “political capital” and “Obama” in it.“Obama” in it.

Google books are cool – You can screen Google books are cool – You can screen print the page and then scan it and print the page and then scan it and OCR it, or you can stop whining and OCR it, or you can stop whining and type the card. That’s about it though. type the card. That’s about it though.

Citing EvCiting Ev Citations: Citations: Russell 9 (Jason, Dir Forensics-OU, “How to be Russell 9 (Jason, Dir Forensics-OU, “How to be

awesome”, awesome”, Being Awesome QuarterlyBeing Awesome Quarterly, 3(4), p. , 3(4), p. 15) JLR15) JLR

Yes, the 9 represents 2009. Do not write that Yes, the 9 represents 2009. Do not write that whole thing bc that’s lame. whole thing bc that’s lame.

Abbreviate where you can. See Dir above. Abbreviate where you can. See Dir above. 3(4) is the volume(issue). 3(4) is the volume(issue). Include the URL for all electronic stuff. Include the URL for all electronic stuff. Put your initials outside the parenthesis. See JLR.Put your initials outside the parenthesis. See JLR. Always include qualifications if citing an author. Always include qualifications if citing an author.

If you need to do secondary internet research, If you need to do secondary internet research, do so.do so.

Tagging EvTagging Ev

Tags are the connection between Tags are the connection between your reading of the evidence & the your reading of the evidence & the judgejudge

They should be brief & cogentThey should be brief & cogent Tags are an argument; evidence is Tags are an argument; evidence is

support for an argument.support for an argument.

Underlining EvUnderlining Ev

Why do we underline?Why do we underline? Think word economyThink word economy No cheatingNo cheating

– You may not change the meaning of a You may not change the meaning of a sentence or the author(s) goalssentence or the author(s) goals

– You may not alter the evidence to make You may not alter the evidence to make underlining more effective (this includes underlining more effective (this includes changing the tense of verbs or dropping changing the tense of verbs or dropping pluralityplurality

Underlining Cont’dUnderlining Cont’d Don’t underline in such a way that the card doesn’t make sense (subject/verb Don’t underline in such a way that the card doesn’t make sense (subject/verb

agreement)agreement)

Mahler 8 Mahler 8 (Jonathan, NY Times Policy Analyst ,June 2008, NY Times, (Jonathan, NY Times Policy Analyst ,June 2008, NY Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2 008/06/15/weekinreview/15mahler.html)JRGhttp://www.nytimes.com/2 008/06/15/weekinreview/15mahler.html)JRGAnd yet, long before the Bush administration’s recent string of defeats, at least one And yet, long before the Bush administration’s recent string of defeats, at least one justice warned of the dangers of justice warned of the dangers of endorsingendorsing war policies that might, in retrospect, war policies that might, in retrospect, look draconian. look draconian. A military orderA military order, however unconstitutional, , however unconstitutional, is not likely to outlive is not likely to outlive a military emergency, but a Supreme Court decision will stand for a military emergency, but a Supreme Court decision will stand for generations to comegenerations to come. Justice Robert Jackson, who would later be chief prosecutor . Justice Robert Jackson, who would later be chief prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals, spoke to this danger in a dissent in the at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals, spoke to this danger in a dissent in the 1944 Korematsu case, the Supreme Court ruling upholding the detention of Japanese-1944 Korematsu case, the Supreme Court ruling upholding the detention of Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II. Justice Jackson wrote that Americans in internment camps during World War II. Justice Jackson wrote that validating such an action was like leaving behind a “loaded weapon, ready for the validating such an action was like leaving behind a “loaded weapon, ready for the hand of any authority that can bring forward a plausible claim of an urgent need.” In hand of any authority that can bring forward a plausible claim of an urgent need.” In keeping with the court’s general reluctance to interfere with the keeping with the court’s general reluctance to interfere with the president’s war-making powers, its rulings in the war on terror began president’s war-making powers, its rulings in the war on terror began relatively modestlyrelatively modestly. Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, in 2004, pertained only to United States . Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, in 2004, pertained only to United States citizens detained as enemy combatants on American soil; the court held that they citizens detained as enemy combatants on American soil; the court held that they must get a “meaningful opportunity” to challenge the factual basis for their must get a “meaningful opportunity” to challenge the factual basis for their detention.detention.

Reduce the ununderlined portion, but never below 8 pt font.Reduce the ununderlined portion, but never below 8 pt font.

Research TipsResearch Tips

Triangulate your researchTriangulate your research Be exhaustiveBe exhaustive Follow a research trailFollow a research trail

– Use your referencesUse your references– Read footnotes/endnotesRead footnotes/endnotes– Take notes from the text. Look for key Take notes from the text. Look for key

individuals, groups, & organizations individuals, groups, & organizations quoted with opinions on the issue at quoted with opinions on the issue at hand.hand.

Research Tips Cont’dResearch Tips Cont’d

How do I start?How do I start?– Have a specific question in mind (i.e. Have a specific question in mind (i.e.

“transportation policy” “global warming”)“transportation policy” “global warming”)– Assess where you’re at (do you have too Assess where you’re at (do you have too

many results? Too few?)many results? Too few?)– Make adjustments (add modifiers like Make adjustments (add modifiers like

“united states” or “highways” above, or “united states” or “highways” above, or remove modifiers like “policy” depending remove modifiers like “policy” depending on how you feel; potentially search a on how you feel; potentially search a more or less specific source)more or less specific source)

Research Tips Cont’dResearch Tips Cont’d

What if I don’t find anything?What if I don’t find anything?

-Keep a research journal that’s -Keep a research journal that’s detailed (What did you search? What detailed (What did you search? What database?)database?)

-Review your steps and try new -Review your steps and try new choiceschoices

-Ask for help!-Ask for help!

How to Read for ResearchHow to Read for Research

Learn to skimLearn to skim Read the table of contentsRead the table of contents Read the introductory chapterRead the introductory chapter Look for subject headings in textLook for subject headings in text Follow the author’s organizational Follow the author’s organizational

patternpattern Search the text for keywordsSearch the text for keywords

Template QuestionsTemplate Questions

What do you need to know?What do you need to know? All research at GDI will be electronic All research at GDI will be electronic

texttext– NO IMAGESNO IMAGES– Free OCR is available in many places Free OCR is available in many places

onlineonline

ConclusionConclusion

Research is what we do; start to love Research is what we do; start to love it now. it now.

Research is a process. Learning is Research is a process. Learning is inevitable but takes time. If you’re inevitable but takes time. If you’re not great now, dedicate yourself to it. not great now, dedicate yourself to it.