Questions? Ask me!
About this guide
This library research guide was created by UofL librarian Tessa Withorn for Professor Kirwan's ENGL 102 class. Research in college requires a lot of work and can be intimidating when you're just getting started. The tips and videos on this guide were selected to help you better understand the research process. Take as much time as you need and feel free to ask Tessa questions along the way! Send an email to tessa.withorn@louisville.edu.
As a reminder, for this assignment you must use 6-8 sources. 1-2 sources should be primary sources and 5-7 sources should be secondary sources. 2-3 sources must be articles from scholarly journals. Learning how to use the library will help you in this class and beyond!
Getting started with research questions and keywords
This guide will take you through the basic steps of the research process, but remember -- research is a process of trial and error! You may have to return to a step and revise your approach.
1. Write your research question.
A good research question should be open-ended (not a yes or no), focused (not too broad or too narrow), and unbiased (avoid assumptions in your question!). For this class, your question should address one of the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy (e.g., women, immigration, earth, nonviolence, racism).
Too Broad ✘ How can we solve racial inequity?
Too Narrow ✘ How does the presence of one Black teacher in a predominantly white school impact the math scores of fifth-grade students?
Just Right✔️ What role does historical redlining play in perpetuating racial health disparities in Louisville, KY today?
*Note: While it's great to start with a question to guide your research, don't get too stuck on your exact question. It will probably evolve as you begin searching for information.
2. Generating keywords.
Take your research question and identify kewords and concepts related to your topic. You'll search for these terms in databases. The keywords might be right there in your question, or there may be related words (synonyms) that you can use too! For example, if you had the research question above, your keywords might be: redlining, race, racism, health disparity, urban.