Hiram College Library: INTD Can we remedy health disparities?: Getting Started With Research

Combined Search - Catalog

Search for books using Hiram College Library catalog.

Click here for the A-Z List of Databases

The A-Z list provides a summary description of each database in the collection.

Individual Databases:

Databases by Subject:

Search for books at academic libraries across Ohio. Print books can be delivered right to the Hiram College Library and you can request them yourself without having to complete an interlibrary loan form.

SearchOhio Catalog
SearchOhio allows users to search for materials at public libraries across Ohio and have them sent to Hiram for pick up, just like OhioLINK. If you live near a SearchOhio public library and have a public library card, you can also have SearchOhio and OhioLINK materials delivered to your home public library.

Getting Started

Sometimes you have too many ideas... or you have no idea where to begin.

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Getting Started

Make sure you understand your assignment. (Seriously what does your syllabus say?)
Think about your interests.
Use a topic ideas database such as Points of View Reference Center or Opposing Viewpoints.
Be careful not to pick a topic too narrow or too broad.
Check out the Research Guide for your subject area.

National Public Radio
On-air and online, NPR presents fact-based, independent journalism that examines and airs diverse perspectives. NPR's journalists strive for mastery of the narrative form, telling stories in ways that transport the audience to the places where news is happening and introducing the people affected.
The Week
Their description for themselves: "In the age of information overload, THE WEEK is an oasis of smart, concise, and balanced content tailored to a busy thought starter. THE WEEK makes sense of the world, providing readers everything they need to know and understand about the world around them. "

New York Times This link opens in a new window
The New York Times contains every article, fully searchable, published in the New York Times since 1851. First, set up an account (instructions here). Then just connect to nytimes.com and login. Or, once you have your account set up, download the NYTimes app from the app store. For more information on setting up an account and using the iPad app, see the New York Times Subject Guide.
http://www.nytimes.com/
Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window
Covers current and controversial social issues from immigration to gun control to fracking. Viewpoint essays present different sides to an issue and the database adds periodical articles, statistics, video/audio, news articles, and primary sources.
Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Provides multiple sides on current issues, such as cloning, abortion, race, and medical ethics. Each topic has an overview, a point, a counterpoint, and a Guide to Critical Analysis of the topic.

Narrowing Your Search

Make your results list more manageable. Less, but more relevant, information is key. Here are some options to consider when narrowing the scope of your paper:

Theoretical approach: Limit your topic to a particular approach to the issue. For example, if your topic concerns cloning, examine the theories surrounding of the high rate of failures in animal cloning.
Aspect or sub-area: Consider only one piece of the subject. For example, if your topic is human cloning, investigate government regulation of cloning.
Time: Limit the time span you examine. For example, on a topic in genetics, contrast public attitudes in the 1950's versus the 1990's.
Population group: Limit by age, sex, race, occupation, species or ethnic group. For example, on a topic in genetics, examine specific traits as they affect women over 40 years of age.
Geographical location: A geographic analysis can provide a useful means to examine an issue. For example, if your topic concerns cloning, investigate cloning practices in Europe or the Middle East.

Broadening Your Search

Think of related ideas, or read some background information first. You may not be finding enough information for several reasons, including:

Your topic is too specific. Generalize what you are looking for. For example: if your topic is genetic diversity for a specific ethnic group in Ghana, Africa, broaden your topic by generalizing to all ethnic groups in Ghana or in West Africa.
Your topic is too new for anything substantive to have been written. If you're researching a recently breaking news event, you are likely to only find information about it in the news media. Be sure to search databases that contain articles from newspapers. If you are not finding enough in the news media, consider changing your topic to one that has been covered more extensively.
You have not checked enough databases for information. Use Vera to find other databases in your subject area which might cover the topic from a different perspective. Also, use excellent searching techniques to ensure you are getting the most out of every database.
You are using less common words or too much jargon to describe your topic. Use a thesaurus to find other terms to represent your topic. When reading background information, note how your topic is expressed in these materials. When you find citations in an article database, see how the topic is expressed by experts in the field.