1. Library class for CMN102

2. Learning Outcomes Identify useful sources for finding information
CATALOGUE JOURNAL ARTICLES
Understand search strategies
Learn how to identify peer reviewed sources
Evaluate your results

3. Start with the Library Guide @ http://libguides. usc. edu

4. Communication library guide

5. …or in other words
1. Understand your topic This is critical- use books for this
2. Develop search strategies Based on search terms from your reading of articles and books
3. Choose resources Use Discover – Journal Articles and the Catalogue
So what is the research process? How do you go about finding information? Put simply, the research process is made up of 3 different parts.
What is this topic/assignment about? What type of assignment is involved? What do you need to do (essay, report, comparison)?
How are you going to do your search? What are you physically going to type in? What are some alternative terms that could be used?
What type of resources should you use?
Let’s go through your assignment & see how this works.

6. Finding different types of information sources
For: Books, use the Catalogue
For: journal articles use Discover – Journal articles

7. Don’t start you research with Google or social media
These can stimulate and inform your thinking and understanding – but don’t cite them as research information!

8. Your turn
Turn to the person next to you.
Choose your topic
You need to explain what your topic means to the other person

9. Topics
1. Using structuralism as a framework and drawing on the concept of hegemony, analyse Mean Girls
2. Concentrating on discourses of race and ethnicity and the concept of ‘the Other’, analyse Season One of the podcast Serial (available to download or stream for free anywhere podcasts are available).

10. Topics
3. Focusing on discourses of masculinity and the concept of hegemony, analyse the Four Corners episode ‘Bringing the War Home’
4. Using postmodernism and feminism as frameworks, analyse Beyonce’s music video Hold Up

11. Topics
5. Using poststructuralism and queer theory as frameworks, analyse the GetUp! Australia ‘It's Time’ marriage equality advertisement

12. Choosing Terms
Do background reading to identify key terms and concepts, but be aware of:
Synonyms – alternative terms e.g. equality recognition status
Broader subjects - gender
Narrower & related topics e.g gay lesbian lgbtiq
Alternative spellings organi?ation

13. Background reading Sometimes books are the best source for theory
Use Discover – Course Reserve
CMN will find a useful book

14. Course Reserve CMN102

15. Useful book

17. Two versions of the book – ebook and hardcopy
For the Ebook - You will be prompted to another login screen.

18. More details – search options
You could use the words Mass media as keywords or searching ideas

19. CMN102 Suggested books Go to the Communication Library Guide
Left hand tab – CMN102
Suggested books for CMN102
Search for them on the catalogue

20. Useful searching techniques
Use AND, OR, NOT to join topic words/phrases
Use quotation marks to find exact phrases
e.g. “internet regulation” will find those words in that exact order
Use truncation and wildcards to find variants of word
e.g. adolesce* will find adolescent, adolescents, adolescence
e.g. wom?n will find women or woman
(note - this symbol may change for different databases)
Use the Help section for specific hints/instructions

21. Advanced Search on Discover - Catalogue
Combination searches are possible
Multiple Keyword
“Queer theory” AND media

22. Advanced Searching

23. Why use books Books are great for theory
Provide you with a good grounding
Can limit to books in Discover – use Catalogue
Can use basic search eg. structuralism

24. Journal articles Academic sources Regularly updated Current research
Narrower than books

25. Evaluation-What is “peer review”?
Peer review is a quality control system used by most scholarly journals.
Journal articles are sent to people who are experts in their area – meaning their peers
An article must meet a certain standard
If not, the article may not be published

26. Advanced searching Journal articles
Search in Subject
Limit to Peer Review
Masculinity AND hegemony

28. There might be some relevant journal articles.

29. Hint You don’t have to use journal articles
Sometimes books are going to work better
Could use a journal article as a case study
Use your judgement for this

30. Books- how can I tell?
In-text referencing
Bibliography at the end

32. Use the Library Guide

33. Getting Help Ask a Librarian: In Person at the Library Help Desk
By Telephone
Using the Library Chat
Come to Library Drop In
Try the USC Library’s Communication Guide