RESEARCH

1

Hide Assignment Information

Instructions

In this assignment, you will work through the search process to create search statements that refine your search results and help you to locate articles from the Library (

Step

s 2 – 5). You will then use search techniques to narrow your search results (Steps 6 – 7). In Step 8, you will choose one article and provide a reference citation for it in APA 7 format. In Step 9, you will provide a brief explanation about why you chose this article. 

You will use the 
Template for Search Strategy Assignment, which also includes a cover sheet in APA 7 format.  [You can refer to this paper format for future assignments.]!

My Search Strategy for [Topic]

[Your name]

University of Maryland Global Campus

LIBS 150 [section number]

[Instructor Name]

[Due Date]

My Search Strategy for [Topic]

STEP 1: Choose one of the selected topics below for this assignment. Or, if you are currently taking another class, you could use a topic from it. If you would like to propose your own topic, discuss your idea with your professor. State which topic you’ve chosen.

Topics:

The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on higher education

The effect of supply chain issues on global commerce

The effect of pets on owners’ mental health

The effect of telework on the real estate market

Type your answer here:

STEP 2: Fill in the table below as a starting point for your search. Please refer to the materials in Week 1, including the “Identifying an Information Need” learning resource and the example on “climate change” under the “Creating a Search Strategy” topic.

Step	Your answers:
1. Write your topic.
2. Use Google or Wikipedia to learn about your topic, narrow your focus, and come up with some key words.
3. Write your research question.
4. Write a preliminary topic statement based on what you know. [You will use research to validate (or revise) this early assumption.]
5. List words or phrases from the topic statement or research question (key concepts) that best describe your topic.
6. Consider dates, geographic locations, and/or other relevant limiting factors to narrow your search.
7. Now find relevant synonyms, or keywords, of the key concepts you listed is step 5.
8. Write different forms of the words or phrases you listed (if any).

STEP 3:
Create a Boolean Search Statement. Now that you have identified some key concepts and keywords, create a search statement on your topic using Boolean operators.

Type it here:

STEP 4: Now, practice your ability to use advanced searching techniques and show what those search terms would look like. We recommend combining nesting, truncation, and phrase searching techniques in a single search statement. Create a search statement using advanced techniques. Be a Boolean ROCK STAR!

Try it here:

STEP 5: Now start your search. Try your search statement with the Library’s

OneSearch

tool. Provide a snip (or screenshot) of the results from your search.

Share a “snip” or screenshot of a portion of your initial results here:

STEP 6: Now you will narrow your search.
Try adding a date range and more keywords or search phrases to limit the number of articles your search identifies. Remember that when you get to the evaluation stage, you will appreciate a more focused group of resources. Provide a snip (or screenshot) that shows the results of your revised search.

Type your revised search statement here:

Share a “snip” or screenshot of a portion of your more focused results here:

STEP 7: You may get additional and relevant information from websites. Do a Google search on your topic using keywords and review this week’s learning resources on evaluating web sites and evaluating digital sources.

Type the name of a website you visited that produced relevant information:

STEP 8: From the results of your searches, choose an article that you think is the best resource to get you started. Choose an article that addresses the key concepts of your research question, provides useful information, and comes from a reliable source.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Choose an article that is at least 3 pages in length and contains the qualities of a legitimate research article as described in the
Evaluate phase (review in Week 3). Consider an article that also refers to other work, whether that is to build on it, give legitimacy to, or challenge its argument. You will be asked to provide this information in your Article Analysis assignment, which is due at the end of Week 3.

Before you start using the material, capture the information that you need for a reference citation in APA 7 format. The complete citation will go on your References page of most papers.

There is good information about how to cite resources properly at the

Citing and Writing

page. There is additional information about citing in Week 3.

Here are the elements you need for an article citation: Author last name, first initial. (Year). Article title.  Journal Title, volume(issue), page numbers. DOI or URL   Elements: · Author: List the last name, followed by the first initial (and second initial).  · Year: List the publication year between parentheses, followed by a period. · Article title: Capitalize the first word of the title, subtitle, and proper nouns, followed by a period. · Journal title: In italics. Capitalize all important words. · Volume and issue number: Volume number in italics. Issue number in parentheses, no italics. · Page number(s): List page numbers followed by a period. · DOI or URL: Use DOI when available. If no DOI and from the free web, use a URL.

Please provide the reference citation in

APA 7 format

for your chosen article here:

Reference:

STEP 9: In your next assignment, you will analyze the qualities and usefulness of the article you chose. Please explain briefly why you chose this article over the rest of the articles you found.

Type your answer here:

You are finished! Please save this completed assignment and submit it to the Search Strategy Assignment folder. Thank you!