WOMEN AND RELIGION
53-106
Scott Cowan
[email protected]
Dr. Heidi LM Jacobs
[email protected]
GOALS
• Know your librarian
• Have a basic understanding of research resources
available
• Get a good start to your assignment
Strap in and hold on!!
LET’S TALK RESEARCH….
MATCHING AN INFORMATION
NEED WITH AN INFORMATION
SOURCE
SOME SOURCES OF INFORMATION
• Critical Essays
• Reference Works
• Monographs
• Scholarly articles
• Contextual Studies
• Biographical studies
MONOGRAPHS
“A scholarly book
or treatise on a
single subject,
complete in one
physical piece,
usually written by
a specialist in the
field.”
• Comprehensive,
covers many
aspects of a topic
• Written by experts,
edited by publishers
• Can take years to
research, write, and
publish
SCHOLARLY ARTICLES
A self-contained nonfiction prose
composition on a fairly narrow topic or
subject, written by one or more scholars
and published under a separate title in
a collection or periodical containing
other works of the same form.
SCHOLARLY ARTICLES
Advantages
• Written by and for
experts and scholars
• Often very specific and
detailed
Disadvantages
• Sometimes too specific
for an overall picture of
a particular topic
WHAT IS A REFERENCE WORK?
A book [or electronic resource] designed to be
consulted when authoritative information is needed,
rather than read cover to cover
REFERENCE WORKS
• Excellent for context
• Excellent for tiny
details
• Basic factual
information
• Often written by top
scholars in the field
• Almost always have
suggested readings
• Incredibly useful
• Often provide
excellent starting or
middle places
Examples: Guides, Encyclopedias, Dictionaries/Glossaries, Handbooks, Companions
ENCYCLOPEDIAS/DICTIONARIES
WIKIPEDIA – GOOD OR EVIL??
• Who wrote it?
• Can report
incorrect
information (has a
history of reporting
wrong
deaths/information
• Can be biased
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SEARCH TERMS
Names
Vocabulary
Descriptions
Synonyms
Other
Spellings
Dates
Places
Concepts
SEARCH HINTS
AND OR NOT
Truncations (*) finds all forms of a word
 Example: econom* will find economy, economics, economical,
etc.
Wild Cards (?, $)
 Wom?n will find woman, women
 Behavio?r will also find behaviour
 Phrase Searches
 Use with two or more words in an exact order
 Example: “World Series,” “Civil War”
Articles
Reference
Catalogue
ASSIGNMENT – WOMEN & RELIGION
“a wise woman whose life or work holds an honoured
place in the field of women and religion.”
•
•
•
•
•
A photograph or artistic rendering
A brief biography
Contributions to religious tradition
Feminist analysis of her position
Addressing the question “Does this woman occupy
an empowered or oppressed position in history?” OR
“Was/is this woman’s life expanded or restricted as
a result of her religious commitments?”
Articles
Reference
Catalogue
Articles
Reference
Catalogue
One of Two
ASSIGNMENT – WOMEN & RELIGION
“a wise woman whose life or work holds an honoured
place in the field of women and religion.”
• A photograph or artistic rendering
• A brief biography
• Contributions to religious tradition
• Feminist analysis of her position
• Addressing the question “Does this woman occupy
an empowered or oppressed position in history?” OR
“Was/is this woman’s life expanded or restricted as
a result of her religious commitments?”
Two of Two
Articles
Reference
Catalogue
ASSIGNMENT – WOMEN & RELIGION
“a wise woman whose life or work holds an honoured
place in the field of women and religion.”
• A photograph or artistic rendering
• A brief biography
• Contributions to religious tradition
• Feminist analysis of her position
• Addressing the question “Does this woman occupy
an empowered or oppressed position in history?” OR
“Was/is this woman’s life expanded or restricted as
a result of her religious commitments?”
ASSIGNMENT – WOMEN & RELIGION
“a wise woman whose life or work holds an honoured
place in the field of women and religion.”
• A photograph or artistic rendering
• A brief biography
• Contributions to religious tradition
• Feminist analysis of her position
• Addressing the question “Does this woman occupy
an empowered or oppressed position in history?” OR
“Was/is this woman’s life expanded or restricted as
a result of her religious commitments?”
DEAD ENDS?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Different Terms?
Different resources?
Different approach?
Reword question?
Broaden question?
Narrow focus?
Different source?
Different database?
Thank You!
Scott Cowan
[email protected]
Dr. Heidi LM Jacobs
Ext 3856 or
[email protected]