Elaine - HI108R Slides

HI 108R - Regional Studies in World History: Russia

Introduction to Research

Elaine McConnell Monographic Cataloging and Preservation Librarian Company Librarian - A1, B1, C1, D3, E3, F3 elaine.mcconnell@westpoint.edu

Agenda

• Homework Review
• Developing a research question and thesis
• Library resources
• Searching for literature using keywords and Boolean Operators
• Using Copilot for brainstorming
• Hands-on activity
• Questions

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain how a research question can turn into a thesis
2. Develop a list of keywords for your topic
3. Use keyword and Boolean operators to search for literature
4. Navigate specialized databases and SCOUT to find sources and a book on the shelf
5. Use Generative AI tools for brainstorming and research

Homework Review: www.kahoot.it

How your research process may feel

The research Essay process

Identify topic

Background reading

Narrow topic

Formulate research question

Find and evaluate sources

Formulate thesis

Write and cite

SMART: Developing effective research questions

The five SMART criteria works together as an interconnected system where each element strengthens the others.

SPECIFIC

TIME-BOUND

RELEVANT

MANAGEABLE

APPROPRIATE

The question should match the academic level, use scholarly language, and fit the assignment requirements

The question should have a clear temporal scope and be completable within the given timeframe

The question should connect to your field of study and contribute meaningful information

The question should be answerable within available resources, time, and research capabilities

The question should be focused and well-defined, addressing a particular aspect rather than a broad topic

Your Thesis

• The answer to your research question!
• It will likely change over the course of your writing

Research Question: How does sleep deprivation affect memory in college freshmen? Thesis Statement: Sleep deprivation negatively affects memory in college freshmen by impairing their ability to retain new information, reducing concentration, and disrupting the brain’s consolidation processes during sleep.

Library Resources

SCOUT Databases

History Research Guide

Use Boolean Operators ANDUse Boolean Operators ANDOR () *

Searching for Literature

What “Literature” Should I Use? Books/eBooks Journal Articles Theses Dissertations

Use Search Terms and Keywords in Different Combinations

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Boolean Operators

knee pain AND injury

knee pain OR injury

knee pain NOT injury

" " Quotations are a Boolean Operator that force a search only on the specific terms inside the quotes

I Can't Find Sources

1. Try different terms, broaden, narrow 2. Look at it from a different perspective 3. It's just not there

Use Boolean Operators ANDUse Boolean Operators ANDOR () *

Generative AI Tools

Copilot

• https://copilot.microsoft.com/
• Enterprise-level security through our institution's license, with enterprise data protection (Your data isn’t used to train foundation models)

• Microsoft 365 Integration

Great for brainstorming to develop topics and questions Great for brainstorming keywords

ACTIVITY

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Open Excel sheet and enter the topic you are investigating.

Go into Copilot and sign in with your Microsoft credentials (being in Edge is helpful)

Use the prompt to search for keywords and Boolean search strings for your topic. Type your results into the Excel sheet.

Let's Get Searching

https://library.westpoint.edu/hi108r

Prompts for Copilot

"I am doing history research on (insert your topic) what keywords might be helpful when searching the library catalog?" "I am doing history research on (insert your topic) what boolean search strings could I use to search the library catalog?"

NEXT STEP:USE YOUR KEYWORDS AND BOOLEAN SEARCHES AND SEARCH A DATABASE. Type your findings in the spreadsheet.

FINAL STEP:USE YOUR KEYWORDS AND BOOLEAN SEARCHES AND SEARCH SCOUT FOR A BOOK. Go to the stacks and pull the book and bring it to class.

Top Takeaways

• Research is not linear
• A thesis is the answer to your research question
• Be creative and/or use Generative AI to help brainstorm keywords

• There is ALWAYS a librarian to help!

• Schedule an appointment
• Chat
• Stop by the Help Desk on the 2nd floor
• Email

Formulate Research Question

For academic work, we formulate complex questions based on our curiosity, and conduct research to lead us toward an answer. For this process, research questions should be:

• Interesting
• Clear
• Complex
• Focused
• And most importantly: researchable

Identify a topic

Topics may be

• Assigned by a professor for a paper or project
• Something of personal interest for your own independent reserach
• Intially very large in scope

Results with include resources that include both the term knee pain and the word injury

13,315 results

Results with include resources that either the term knee pain or the word injury

1,520,486 results

❌ Weak question: "How has technology changed education?" No time parameters, too broad historically ✅ Strong question: "What impact did the implementation of one-to-one iPad programs have on reading comprehension scores in third-grade classrooms during the 2022-2023 academic year?" Clear timeframe, specific technology, measurable outcomes within defined period

❌ Weak question: "How does music affect people?" Too vague: What kind of music? Which people? What type of effects? ✅ Strong question: "How does listening to classical music during study sessions affect memory retention in undergraduate biology students?" Specifies: Type of music, context, effect being measured, exact population

❌ Weak question: "What are all the effects of climate change on Earth?" Far too broad: Impossible to study ALL effects on the entire planet ✅ Strong question: "How have rising sea temperatures affected coral reef biodiversity in the Great Barrier Reef between 2020-2023?" Focused scope: Specific location, measurable impact, defined timeframe

Research is:

• Iterative
• Recursive
• About discovery

Results with include resources that include the the term knee pain but not the word injury

48,377 results

Background reading

Background reading:

• Provides a general overview and context for the topic
• Is usually secondary source material
• Is essential for narrowing your topic and formulating a research question

Results with include resources that include the the exact phrase knee pain.

12,630 results

It's just not there

West Point Cadets, class of 1789

Bolivian spice trade

Icelandic civil war

Coastal erosion in Oklahoma

Write and cite

As you write your paper, don't forget to cite all of your sources. Why cite?

• Give credit to the ideas of others
• To participate in the scholarly conversation
• Provide readers a path to follow back through the development of your ideas
• Add authority to your work
• Avoid plagiarism
• Place your work in context

Look at it from a different perspective

Annexation or Reunification

Revolution or Uprising

Liberation or Invasion

find and evaluate sources

Use SCOUT and databases from the USMA Library website to find primary and/or secondary sources about your research question.

library.westpoint.edu

How your research process may feel

Identify topic

Background reading

Narrow topic

The research Essay process

Formulate research question

Formulate thesis

Find and evaluate sources

Write and cite

formulate thesis

A thesis is the answer to the reserach question you began with. For example, if your research question was: Why did the demographics of the West Point Corps of Cadets change between 1970 and 1990? Your thesis could be: The demographics of the West Point Corps of Cadets changed between 1970 and 1990 because of reasons x, y, and z.

❌ Weak question: "Why do kids like video games?" Informal language, lacks academic focus, too simplistic ✅ Strong question: "What cognitive benefits do educational gaming platforms provide to middle school students in mathematics education?" Uses academic terminology, appropriate scholarly focus, specific educational context

❌ Weak question: "What do people think about social media?" Opinion-based, no clear academic or practical value ✅ Strong question: "How has Instagram's algorithm change in 2023 influenced engagement rates for educational content creators in higher education?" Addresses current issue, has practical implications, connects to specific field

Narrow your topic

After reading about the topic, it is time to narrow down the scope of your research. Two methods of achieving this are:

• Limit by geographic location
• Limit by time period

Try different terms: narrow or broaden your search

• plants
• house plants
• indoor plants
• snake plant
• fern
• money tree
• succulents
• home botany
• indoor gardening
• tropical plants
• drought-tolerant plants
• low light plants

• social media
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Tiktok
• digital social platforms

• Russia
• USSR
• Soviet Union