ENGL 105, Academic Writing, Community Change

Tips:

Remember to use quotation marks. E.g. "public transportation"

Tip: Remember to take advantages of the limiter: Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) to limit primarily to journal articles.

1. Start with one or two keywords describing your topic.
2. Use the limiting options within the database to focus (i.e., refine) your results:
   • academic/peer-reviewed journals
   • date of publication (you might want more recent articles for some topics)
3. Look for subjects (aka descriptors) that can help you define your topic more narrowly.
4. Once you determine an angle or perspective you'd like to explore, try adding additional terms to your search.
5. Look for a "full text" link to view the article; if no full text link is available, try "Full Text Finder" to locate a copy of the article.
   • If no copy of the article is available online or in print, you can still request a copy from another library; there is no fee for this service, and articles take about 3 days (often fewer) to arrive.
6. Use the tools within the databases to mark, email, and print your articles:
   • You may be able to email the entire article to yourself, or at least the article information and abstract.
   • You may also be able to send yourself an MLA-formatting reference.
   • Articles in PDF format will have page numbers; articles in HTML format might not.

You need to look for research that extends further than just your locale. How many people do you think research Swing dancing in Abbotsford and then get published in a peer reviewed journal?  Probably not many. So search here using the broader topic ideas that you are advocating for: like dancing or exercise social aspects. Don't be put off if results talk about other parts of Canada or the world because the issues encountered are probably the same throughout the world.

Canadian Newsstand, CPI-Q will give you access to local news articles that discuss your topic; Globe and Mail, national access to your topic. Finally Project Muse covers Canadian issues that you might find helpful.

These databases may contain location specific news articles on places like Abbotsford, Chilliwack and other Fraser Valley cities.