Research Guides: Student Research Guide Template: Home

Introduction to the Topic

DIRECTIONS: In this box, write a one-two paragraph summary of your topic. What is your focused thesis? What are the specific research questions you want to answer? This is also a good place to put a "trigger warning" if your topic is potentially controversial or upsetting. Please be mindful of your ethical role in providing information to the general public. You don't know who will be reading and using these guides for information. Be responsible for what sites you link to.

NOTE: This front page should be where you add a picture or other graphic that illustrates your topic and makes your page visually more interesting and attractive. It can be in this box or you can create a separate box for this.

Keywords for searching the topic

DIRECTIONS: This can be a bulleted list of keywords and phrases that you recommend others use to research the topic.

Example:

PRP
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

Best Databases/Search Engines

DIRECTIONS: Please use this format to list the best databases or search engines that you used. You should include at least 2 SVC databases (eg: Academic Search Complete, Credo Reference, Opposing Viewpoints, etc.) If you use OneSearch, please indicate which database it came from (check the "Get It" part of the OneSearch Record to find this:

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Features journals and magazines with a few newspapers. Like ProQuest there are full-text articles available for printing, copying, e-mailing, creating lists and with citation help. Login with full SVC email address and password.
Credo Reference Database This link opens in a new window
Online encyclopedia source, including Encyclopedia of the United States in the 19th Century. Good source for images and graphics. Log in from home using MYSVC login & password.
Facts on File: Issues and Controversies This link opens in a new window
Why did I like this database for my topic.

Google Scholar
Google Scholar was great for my topic because...

ProQuest This link opens in a new window
Features thousands of magazine,newspaper and journal titles. Includes national newspapers like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Log in with full SVC email address and password.

Start Your Research Here

DIRECTIONS: Please use this box to list your favorite background resources that you found were most helpful to define the topic and why they were helpful (Hint: use the Reference sources from the Background Research Activity for this). Aim for 2-3. Only ONE Wikipedia article is allowed and if you use Wikipedia, please make sure you explain why this was useful to you, compared with any other reference tools. Cite all sources using correct APA citation style and include an annotation explaining what the source is, how it fits with your topic, and its authoritativeness. (HINT: Use the Rich HTML Editor here)

For articles that link to library databases, be sure to link the title of the article with the Record URL or Permalink that includes skagit.idm.oclc.org in the link.

EXAMPLE:

"Climate Change: Should the U.S. Government Take Aggressive Steps to Combat Climate Change?" Issues & Controversies, Infobase, 5 Nov. 2019, https://icof.infobaselearning.com/recordurl.aspx?ID=2015. Accessed 13 Dec. 2019.

This article provided a good overview of the climate change issue and mostly focused on whether government should have a role. This directly addresses my research question. The source was useful for background information and to help generate keywords.