Feminist Research Methods:Strategies & Resources

Susan C. Luévano, WGSS LibrarianWGSS 101

Research Review

• Step 1: Develop search strategy •Thesis statement •Pre-research/Background information•Research questions• Identify keywords•Use Boolean operators (and , or)•Use truncation (*)

• Step 2: Select databases• Identify peer-reviewed sources•Books - COAST

• Step 3: Search the database•Try different keywords and searches•Move from keyword to database subject headings•Select the best citations•Use internal citation generators

• Step 4: Evaluate resources•Read and assess content

• Setp 5: Apply and use information•Synthesize information•Write up the finding and conclusion •Create bibliography

• Circular process – Repeat and Revise• Use the WGSS Research Guide!!•http://csulb.libguides.com/wgss

Pre-Research/Background Information• http://csulb.libguides.com/wgss101/

Creating a Search Strategy• Develop a thesis statement:

The battle for open accessibility of the emergency contraceptive pill under President Obama.

Creating a Search Strategy

• Define the question • Ask why????

• What is the “morning after” pill and how does it work?• What were the Obama arguments

against access for teens? • What were the legal arguments for

access for teens? • Is the fight over?

Creating a Search Strategy

• Break down your thesis statement by concept

• . The battle for accessibility of the Emergency Contraceptive Pill under President Obama.

Creating a Search Strategy

Creating a Search Strategy• Boolean Operators• AND• OR

teenager adolescent

Teenager OR

Adolescent

Access

Emergency Contracepti

vePill

Obama

Creating a Search Strategy

• Truncation•More results•Plurals

• Asterisk * •Feminis*•Feminist•Feminism•Feminisms

Limit by Year of Publication

• Resources must be from the last 5 years• Issue may be older

Adjacency

• Use "quotation marks" to search for exact phrases• “morning after pill*”• “Plan B”

Periodicals

• Peer Reviewed Journals • Based on research & written for other scholars• Content & research model are reviewed by other scholars• In-depth• Extensive bibliography

Periodicals• Popular Sources• General reading level • Short articles• No citations• Photos & advertisements

Finding Peer-Reviewed Articles• Http://www.csulb.edu/library• 1) Test or preliminary search for journal articles, books &

more• 2) Databases by topic

Research Databases

GenderWatch• Popular & scholarly including peer reviewed titles• 100 international journals• Coverage: 1978 to present

Academic Search Complete • General/Interdisciplinary• Popular & scholarly• Limit: Peer review box• Coverage: 1975 to present• Need the full-text?

Academic Search Complete

Academic Search Complete

BeachReach

Research Databases

• GenderWatch• Academic Search Complete• Sociological Abstracts• SocIndex• PubMed• PyschInfo

Library home page http://www.csulb.edu/library

Books, media &

government docs

Use floor & call number to find

the book.

Try LINK + for more

Need Information NOT at CSULB• BeachReach• Anything• Articles & book chapters (2-5 days)

• Link+• Books & some media ONLY• 2-5 days

• Other CSU Libraries

Still need a little help?

Want to talk to a real human?

• Ask at the Reference Desk, 1st West• Consultations• Susan Luévano• Office hours:• U Library, 4th floor room 416,• Wednesday, 2:30 pm -4:30 pm• Susan.Luevano@csulb.edu

Questions?