SOC 332: Methods of Inquiry
1. ASSIGNMENT
Write a literature review using at least 5 articles of original research.
2. WHAT IS A REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLE?
A journal covers new developments in scientific, scholarly and professional topics and has articles which
are based on qualitative and quantitative research; therefore, journal articles typically supplement a lack
of advertising and photographs with graphs and charts of data. Journal articles are generally more in-
depth and unbiased than articles from newspapers and magazines, which tend to cover news and current
events, and journal articles almost universally cite references, where newspapers often deliberately do not
identify their sources. There are several qualities that help identify journals:
1. The word journal is in the title:
For example, The American Journal of Nursing
2. The journal is affiliated with an organization or association:
For example, The Journal of the American Medical Association
3. The title is unfamiliar:
For example, The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
4. Journals are generally not available at bookstores or grocery stores:
For example, not one of the three examples above is available at a newsstand
3. SEARCHING FUNDAMENTALS
There are two ways to search for information: to search by word and to search by idea. To search by
word is called keyword searching -- keyword just means important word. In keyword searching you
determine your search terms; you have greater flexibility but you must try multiple searches using
different spellings and synonyms in order to match all the variations authors could use. Consequently,
you will get results not related to your idea. Alternatively, to search by idea is called subject searching.
Subject searching is very organized and uses only librarian-determined terms; you find your terms --
usually called Subject Headings or Descriptors -- and you search for them. Try using this procedure:
1. Perform a keyword search using important terms that define your topic
2. Find a good result and look at its Subject Heading
3. Perform a subject search using the Subject Heading you found.
4. MAKE A MENU OF YOUR SEARCH TERMS
Term 1 Term 2 Term 3
race poverty academic achievement
racial AND income AND school success
ethnic class
ethnicity socioeconomic
Use ‘OR’
between
synonyms
Use ‘AND’ between terms
For example:
race or racial or ethnic or ethnicity
AND poverty or income or class or socioeconomic
RF 7/06
AND academic achievement or school success
