U2A1 & U2D1 - Advanced Searching Teachniques - please follow all instructions and read all attached documents. Due Sunday by 9pm. CST. My Field is Public Service Leadership
drcdopen82
cf_u02s2_brainstorm_subtopics3.docx
Subtopic brainstorming worksheet
brainstorm Subtopics
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Instructions: Your review of the literature may cover hundreds of scholarly articles and other sources. It is critically important to stay organized with your reading.
As you read the research articles that you gather, it is important to take note of the relationships and common themes between the articles. List your topic below, and then keep a running list of the different subtopics that may be worthy of additional searching.
List your topic area or research problem here:
Circle the main concepts from your topic and then list them below. |
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Subtopics in the Research Articles: |
Example of Branching Subtopics in the Research Literature:
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Subtopic 1 |
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Subtopic 2 |
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Subtopic 3 |
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Subtopic 4 |
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Either map out or list 4+ subtopics from your readings. They should indicate key areas of research in this field of study. See the more complex example at right.
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Note: If you are not completely familiar with research surrounding your topic, you may have difficulty coming up with broad and narrow terms. This initial frustration is a natural part of the research process. Consider consulting background sources such CREDO Reference, which includes scholarly encyclopedias. You can use other secondary sources like the Ebrary e-book collection to help you develop an initial list of keywords. See the Library’s Databases A-Z page for both resources.
You can also use an Excel Spreadsheet or other database-driven tracking systems like RefWorks to track the relationships between articles and your research problem.
A sample log of this kind of notes tracking is listed below. Fill out the basic information with the articles you have discovered.
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Articles |
Relationship between Article and the Research Problem |
Seminal Works or Theory Information |
Subtopics & Themes for Future Research |
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In the below column, note the research article you have read. |
How does this article relate back to your research problem? What themes from the article are most important? |
Does the article mention any key historical literature or key theoretical material? |
List any important phrases or themes from the article that will help guide future article searches.
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Research Problem
Subtopic 1
Subtopic 2
Subtopic 3
