LSC 150
Fall 2008
Handout 21
Instructions for Bibliography/Searching Homework Assignment to be completed and
submitted on 12-1-08
Create a Bibliography
[THIS ASSIGNMENT DEMONSTRATES THAT STUDENTS HAVE ASSIMILATED THE PROMINENT POINTS
AND TECHNIQUES PRESENTED THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER]

Using the information covered in class (e.g., how to create effective search
statements, how to search databases, including CONSULS and WorldCat, and how to
write citations), compile a bibliography on one of the Research Questions below using
correct APA style. The bibliography must include only 3 (three) sources. The three
sources must include:
**One book (you must find the book through either CONSULS or WorldCat)
**One journal or magazine article (discovered through a subscription database search – see
restrictions that follow)
**One newspaper article (discovered through the New York Times subscription database)

FIRST, choose ONE of these Research Questions for your assignment:
Choice #1: Does telecommuting increase productivity?
Choice #2: What impact does violence in media have on children?
Choice #3: Is fast food to blame for rising obesity rates?

SECOND, use the attached Search Strategy Machine (page 4) to translate your
chosen research question into a search statement. Refer to handouts from Meeting 3
(handouts 9 and 10) for information on search strategies. For each key concept you
extract from your original research question, you must identify and list at least ONE
additional term. When you write out your search statement, you must also demonstrate
that you are adept in using these search techniques: TRUNCATION, NESTING, and the
BOOLEAN OPERATORS “AND” and “OR”

THIRD, locate one book on your topic using your search strategy. Use CONSULS or
WorldCat. Print the catalog record for the book you choose.The catalog record gives
the title of the book, the author, the publisher, the place of publication, and may give
other information.

FOURTH, locate a journal or magazine article on your topic. You must use a subject
database and not the general databases we have used.
Restrictions: DO NOT use any of the following general databases:
Academic Search Premier
Academic OneFile
Expanded Academic Index
"FOURTH" (continued from first page)
To find your subject database, click (from the Library’s home page):
Articles (via databases)
Then scroll down until you see Or, Search for a Database by Subject and, from the drop
down list, choose a subject area that covers the research question you have selected.
Before you choose a subject area or database, think in terms of which subject area would
most likely cover your research question. For example:
 Is obesity a communications topic? No. What type of topic is obesity? Choose an
appropriate subject area.
 Is telecommuting a computer topic? No. Which area would be likely to discuss
telecommuting and work productivity? Choose an appropriate subject area.
Once you’ve chosen a subject area, look at the scope of the databases that are listed. Be
sure to choose a database that contains journal articles – if you choose a database with
electronic books or dissertations, you will lose points because your retrieval will not be journal
articles.
Using the strategy you designed (see SECOND above), search the database and locate
one journal article. (As always, go to the Advanced Search interface of the database; try the
strategy you designed; if it doesn’t work, modify it). Then, while you are using the database,
print the bibliographic record for the journal article and at the top of the bibliographic record
write your name and the name of the database you used (a bibliographic record includes
the author, article title, journal name, volume, issue, pages, and date but may include more
information).
FIFTH, search the current file of the New York Times for an article that is relevant to your
research question (as always, go to the Advanced Search interface of the database; try the
strategy you designed; if it doesn’t work, modify it) . Print out the bibliographic record for the
newspaper article you choose and please write your name at the top of the printout.
On December 1, 2008 you must turn in:
 The bibliography containing 3 sources. The references must be correctly cited using
APA format (see Handout 13). At the top of your bibliography indicate which research
question you chose. This part of the assignment is worth 6 total points – each correctly
cited source is worth 2 points, any errors on any citation loses 2 points.
 The bibliographic records for the 3 sources ONE HALF POINT EACH; TOTAL = 1.5 points
 The completed Search Strategy Machine page showing that you identified the key
concepts of your research question and also found at least one additional term for
each key concept. In the bottom box of the Search Strategy Machine write out your
search strategy – be sure you have used NESTING, TRUNCATION, and the BOOLEAN
OPERATORS “AND” and “OR”
On the Search Strategy Machine page also note which subject database you used to
identify the journal/magazine article you included in your bibliography.
THE CORRECTLY COMPLETED SEARCH STRATEGY MACHINE IS WORTH 2.5 POINTS
 Put your name on all pages of whatever you turn in
Use APA format for your bibliography, which is the format we have practiced all semester.
page 2
Consider:


The references in your bibliography MUST be alphabetized by the last name of the
authors of each work. If no author is given, alphabetize by the first word in the title of
the anonymous work (but disregard the words “A,” “AN,” OR “THE.”) Remember, when
using APA style, you only use the initials of the authors first name and middle name (if
given).
If you need an extra hint on how to complete the Search Strategy Machine page,
look at this example.
Nick Tomaiuolo, Search Strategy Machine page for Bibliography Assignment
I chose “do electromagnetic fields cause cancer?” as my research question
I chose the subject database MEDLINE to perform my journal article search in.
page 3 See the next page!!
Complete this form and hand it in with your project.
Student’s Search Strategy Machine Page for Bibliography Project LSC 150
Student’s name _________________________
I chose this research question: __________________________________________________
I searched this database for my journal article __________________________________
Write your search strategy in the box above – be sure to identify not only the key concepts
but at least one additional alternate term for each key concept.
Your final search strategy must show you know how to use the Boolean operators AND and
OR, truncation, and nesting.
page 4