Eng 102 Rothman: Home

Before the session begins, please take just a minute to fill out this very short form. Thanks!

https://library.louisville.edu/ekstrom/instruction-welcome

Please use this online bulletin board to record your research question.



Also write down in the same "post-it" who might be talking about or studying your question.

1. Open two tabs on your browser.

2. In the first tab, go to the Subject Guide page and choose the "Any Topic" Guide. Click into the Ebsco Academic Search database.

3. In the second tab, go to Google.

4. Search for keywords from your topic in the Ebsco Academic database and search for your research question in Google.

5. Find one article labeled "Academic" in Ebsco that is relevant to your topic.

• Look at the author and his/her affiliation. What makes him/her qualified to write this article?
• Who is the audience for this article?
• What sources does the author cite?
• What would it take for you to "enter the conversation" happening in this article?

6. Now look at your Google results. Choose one site that looks relevant to your topic.

• Look at the author and his/her affiliation (Google them if you need to). What makes him/her qualified to write this piece?
• Whose site is the piece on? In other words, what organization "published" this piece on the internet?
• Who is the audience for this piece? How do you know?
• What sources does it cite?
• What type of thing is it? (a news piece, a Wikipedia article, a not-for-profit advocacy site, a government site, someone's personal blog, etc.)
• Finally, think about how this site rose to the top of the Google results, how it could be useful to you, and what reservations you might have (if any) about using it as a source.

Have questions after the session? Feel free to make an appointment with one of us, call us, or e-mail us. You can also come in and talk to a peer research assistant between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday. Or check out our Research DIY page!