Welcome to the Humanities 1301 Resource Guide
Course Description: A multicultural, interdisciplinary introduction to the study of humankind’s cultural legacy in at least four of the disciplines of the humanities, which are approached individually, in synthesis with one or more of the others, or thematically: the visual arts, motion pictures, architecture, music, dance, philosophy, and literature as well as the social sciences, history, mathematics, medicine, physical sciences and communication as they have contributed to that cultural legacy. This course is writing and reading intensive.
Ask yourself these questions before you start your research:
Before you begin searching for information, you must identify keywords related to your topic. Find keywords:
When brainstorming keywords remember to ask yourself the who, what, when, where, and why of your topic.
Who is involved?
A specific age group, occupation, ethnic group, gender, etc.
What is the problem?
What is the issue facing the "who" in your topic? Health concerns, job and economic trends, contaminated drinking water?
Where is it happening?
A specific country, region, city, physical environment, rural vs. urban, etc.
When is this happening?
Is this a current issue or an historical event? Will you discuss the historical development of a current problem?
Why is it happening / Why is this a problem?
You may want to focus on causes or argue the importance of this problem by outlining historical or current ramifications. Or you may decide to persuade your instructor and class why they should care about the issue.
The following publications can be found in the library databases with the exception of Internet Sites. They each have strengths and weaknesses depending on the type of information you are seeking.
Searching for a phrase?
Putting it in quotation marks tells the search that you want that exact phrase, not just any of the words contained within it.
Ex: "genetically modified foods"
"weight loss"
WHAT IS AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY?
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 100 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
ANNOTATIONS VS. ABSTRACTS (SUMMARIES)
Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they expose the author's point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority.
THE PROCESS
Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.
First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.
Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.
What is the difference between a journal and an article?
Scholarly Periodicals – Journals
Popular Periodicals – Magazines
Widely and easily available
MAY be very current -- depends on the author
No substantive content parameters. Responsibility is on the reader to judge reliability, accuracy and timeliness of information.
Content may be influenced by advertisers.
Audience: General Public
Reading level: Low to moderate
Short articles, generally not very in-depth
Very current
Best source for local news and events
Articles are fact-checked and edited (by other journalists)
Quick publication deadlines may affect accuracy
Content may be influenced by advertisers
Audience: General Public
Reading level: Moderate to low
Short to medium length articles
Relatively widely available
Often subscription rates are reasonably priced
Easy to read
Writers usually not subject experts
Content may be influenced by advertisers
Audience: Professionals in a specific field
Reading level: Medium
Short to medium length articles
May contain professional association or continuing education resources
May contain job search resources
Ads are usually limited to products and services within the field of interest.
May be hard to access outside of an academic library or unless you buy your own subscription.
Subscriptions may be expensive.
Subject matter may be extremely technical or of limited interest to readers outside of that field.
Audience: Scholars and researchers in a specific subject area
Always contain source citations
Reading level: High
Long articles
Reliable content. Articles are written and edited by experts in the field
In-depth examination of subject matter
Readers can use article citations to identify other important researchers in the field
May be hard to find outside of an academic library
Expensive subscription price
Writers often less concerned with readability than in other publication types
Slower publication rate -- Usually quarterly or biannually
Articles may require specialized knowledge to understand
