Technical Writing - ENC 3241

Before you start searching for resources, it is helpful to perform steps like the ones shown here:

You have decided on a topic you want to research: Eating and teenagers

Now, create a Research Question about that topic: What is the relationship between teenage eating habits and health problems?  

Step 1: Break this research question into its main concepts:
teenage
eating habits
health problems

Step 2: Brainstorm keywords for each of these three main concepts:
Try thinking of synonyms and related terms. A thesaurus may be helpful. 

Step 3: Choose where to search first - inside the Library Catalog interface?  Or inside a database?

Step 4:  Combine your terms in various combinations in the search boxes.    What kinds of results do you get?  Can you find one or more that connect to your research question and how you want to write about it?

Step 5:  Keep searching, using different combinations of your keywords, synonyms, and related-words, to find more resources to use in your writing.

Reference Materials give you a general overview of a subject.

Helpful Tip:
For Reference eBooks try Virtual Reference Library (Gale eBooks).

Books give a broad, thorough treatment of a subject.

Helpful Tip:
To find books use the Library Search or eBook Collection (EBSCO).

Periodicals provide information that is focused, usually from a contemporary point of view.

Helpful Tips:

• For scholarly peer reviewed journal articles search Academic Search Complete.
• For controversial issues try Opposing Viewpoints.
• For local issues search Florida Today.
• For consumer issues search Consumer Reports.

Web Pages can include all information types. Since web publication is fast, use it for very current information.

Helpful Tips:

• Use Advanced Search in Google to limit search results to .edu or .gov. 

• Use Google Scholar to search for scholarly content on the web.  

Media Resources provide visual and auditory details which can not be captured in written text.

Helpful Tips:

• Use Public Domain Pictures to locate images.
• Use Music Online: Listening to find streaming music.
• Use Films on Demand or Ambrose Video or Academic Video Online to view streaming videos.