ALS 1000: Black and Latinx Experience (Rincon) Fall 2024

Hello and Welcome! This course guide was created for Dr. Rincon's ALS 1000 Fall 2024 course. It provides users with helpful tips about the research process and research tools. Included is information about subject-specific databases, journals, and research tips to complete assignments for the course. Any questions can be emailed to alayna.vanderveer@oneonta.edu or asked at the reference desk. 

This Guide was created by:

Alayna L. Vander Veer

Milne Library, SUNY Oneonta

Fall 2024

Databases use precision searching and specific language to organize records, which means that we must use keywords, Boolean Operators (AND,OR, NOT), and limiters to effectively search in them. 

AND: Narrows search results. For example: Cat AND Dog will result in sources that have both of these words contained in them.

OR: Broadens search results. For example: Cat OR Dog will result in any source that has either of these words contained in them.

NOT: Excludes certain keywords from search results. For example: Cat NOT Dog will result in only sources that have the word cat contained in them. 

Truncation: Use an asterisk * to truncate and search for variations of a word, including plural forms. For example: immigrat* searches for the words immigrant, immigrants, immigrate, immigration

Wildcard: Use the question mark to represent more than one letter in a word, especially for words that do not form their plural by adding "s" or "es" and instead have different spellings. For example: wom?n searches for both women and woman. 

Phrases: Use quotation marks to search for words as a phrase rather than separate single words. For example: "undocumented immigrant" will search for these two words together as a phrase. This also helps keep your search results narrow and more focuses on the topic you are looking for. 

If you have no idea what to write about, there are a few places to go for topic ideas.

1. Scan news headlines or digests
   1. You have free access to these newspapers through Milne Library, but you need to create an account
      1. The New York Times https://libguides.oneonta.edu/new-york-times
      2. The Wall Street Journal https://www.WSJ.com/SUNYOneonta
2. Browse topics in an encyclopedia
   1. Check out CQ Researcher, a database that can help you find research topics or explore trending topics https://cqpress.sagepub.com/
   2. Use the “Browse Issues” section in the Opposing Viewpoints in Context Database https://go.gale.com/ps/start.do?p=OVIC&u=sunyo_main
   3. Go to Credo Reference and browse subjects https://search.credoreference.com/
3. Scan chapters or sections in your textbooks to find appropriate topics

It is crucial that we evaluate all of the information we use! All information was created by someone, for someone, and for some purpose ... meaning that information can be bias and influence our perception, opinions, and decisions. Below are some methods that will help us:

1. Identify what type of information we need to answer our questions
2. Apply methods of fact-checking to ensure information is accurate and unbiased
3. Evaluate the credibility, currency, relevance, accuracy and purpose of a source

A great evaluation method is ACT UP, created by Dawn Stahura to help students facilitate a critical perspective related to information and social justice. 

A - Author:

Ask who the author is. Do they have any authority or credibility to be speaking out that topic?

C - Currency

Is the information in the source current or out-of-date? When was the source published? Have things changed since then?

T - Truth

Is the information presented in the source accurate or credible?

U - Unbiased

What stake does the author or publisher have in this information? What do they gain? What is their perspective? Do they want you to buy something?

P - Privilege

Whose voice is missing from the conversation or information?