PLS 201: Introduction to Political Science Methods

1. PLS 201: Introduction to Political Science Methods Stephanie Crowe, Public and International Affairs Librarian ● 3-17-2014

2. Topics we will cover: • Selecting the right information sources • Accessing resources • Creating better searches • Locating full-text • And any questions you have

3. Your Current Research Skills • How would you rate your current research skills? • Strong? • Satisfactory? • Needs improvement? • Poor? • What causes you the most anxiety/confusion/frustration?

4. Where to Get Help! • Learning Commons Help Desk • In person • Telephone • Email • Chat • Text • By appointment • Contact me directly: crowes@uncw.edu

5. Research Guides • Each discipline has a research guide • Place to start • Suggestions for resources • Not sure where to go? • Provides ideas for the next steps • Several ways to search • Contact information for a librarian • Library Home Page • Click on Find specific eResources/Databases By Subject • Choose Public and International Affairs

6. Course Guides • We create course guides for specific classes, too • Suggestions for resources useful for that particular course (such as PLS 201) • From library homepage, go to My Courses  Course Guides, then scroll to PLS 201

7. Finding Books • Library Catalog • Local and UNCP/FSU • WorldCat • 9,000 libraries / @1.3 billion items

8. Searching the Library Catalog • What exactly does the catalog search? • What we own • What we have access to • What is not in the catalog? • Articles • Books at other libraries (you can still borrow these through Interlibrary Loan!)

9. Searching the Library Catalog • Books & More tab • Topic? • DREAM Act • Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors • Keywords? • Synonyms? • What information is available in the results?

10. Finding Articles • WorldCat Local (home page article search) • 21databases out of about 200 • Databases A-Z • Individual databases • Details Page • Databases by subject (Public and International Affairs) • Quick Search (integrated search) • Individual Databases (Best, More, All)

11. Searching for Articles • Database • Academic Search Complete (as an example. Try the others listed in PIA research guide and PLS 201 course guide, too) • Research topic? • DREAM Act • Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors • What information is available in the results? • What if there’s no full text available?

12. Making our Searches Better • Using AND, OR and NOT • AND Narrows • OR expands • NOT eliminates a word

13. Improving a Search • AND - All terms are present. AND is the best way to narrow down your search by  limiting your results to only those resources (articles or books) which deal with your chosen words. • immigration AND illegal illegal immigration

14. Improving a Search • OR - Any one of the terms are present (more than one term may be present). • undocumented OR alien undocumented alien

15. Improving a Search • Truncation • Typically use * • Immigra* = immigrants, immigration, immigrate • Phrase Searching • Undocumented minors = undocumented AND minors • “Undocumented minors” = Undocumented [next to] minors

16. Putting it all together… • Immigra* • AND undocumented OR illegal OR alien • AND students OR children OR minors • One line strategy: Immigra* AND (undocumented OR illegal OR alien) AND (students OR children OR minors)

17. PLS 201 Course Guide • Introduction to Political Science Methods

18. Questions? • Need help? • Library home page – get help • Email me! crowes@uncw.edu • Remember: Don’t get discouraged and get help if necessary!

19. Thank you!