Searching and Breadcrumbing:Why You Shouldn’t Have to Say

“I wanted to do this topic, but I couldn’t find anything on it”

1. An article on choice summarizes expert opinion:

Choice is a hallmark of capitalism, and most of us would agree that having too many choices is far better than having no choices. A growing body of research, though, shows Americans have become so besieged by choices that many feel paralyzed and confused (Block, 2006).

Principle 1: Find the original

Block, S. (2006, January 16). So many choices? What to do? What to do? USA Today, Money, 1b. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from AcademicSearch Elite database.

Principle 1: Find the original2. The article mentions Barry Schwartz:

The problem is that many of us aren't up to making such decisions, says Barry Schwartz, a psychology professor at Swarthmore College and author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less (Block, 2006).

Block, S. (2006, January 16). So many choices? What to do? What to do? USA Today, Money, 1b. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from AcademicSearch Elite database.

Principle 1: Find the original3. Why does Schwartz say this?

To find out, you need to know where he says it.

4. The intext citation (Block, 2006) points you to the reference list entry:

Block, S. (2006, January 16). So many choices? What to do? What to do? USA Today, Money, 1b. Retrieved March 18, 2008, from AcademicSearch Elite database.

Principle 1: Find the original5. This is a popular source written

6. Where could we find more credible sources for Schwartz’s ideas on choice?

• by someone with no expert background

• for readers with no expert background

• at about a 6th grade reading level

Principle 1: Google resultsFirst-handor primary

Reputablenewspaper

Current

Where are the scholarly sources?aka Alpha Roosters?

Although one should not necessarily judge an article by where it appears, there is a pecking order in clinical medicine. The New England Journal of Medicine and The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) are the top roosters.

Principle 1: Alpha RoostersAlthough one should not necessarily judge an article by where it appears, there is a pecking order in clinical medicine.

Dr. Jerome Groopman (2007)How Doctors Think

To recognize an alpha rooster, you need to know the difference between these periodicals:

Principle 1: Find Alphas

• popular

• professional

• scholarly

1. Launch your favorite search engine.

2. Search for difference popular scholarly journal

3. Check out two or more of the results.

4. What differences did you find?

To recognize an alpha rooster, you need to know the difference between these types of periodicals:

Principle 1: Find Roosters

• popular

• professional

• scholarly

4. What differences did you find?• “Is It a Magazine or Journal?” (Staley Library) • “Popular Magazines VS Trade Magazines VS Scholarly Journals” (CSU Libraries)

• “Critical Evaluation of Resources” (Berkeley Library)

Try your search at http://scholar.google.com

Principle 1: Find Alphas

To find only free articles, go tohttp://findarticles.com/

Try your search at http://search.ebscohost.com

Principle 1: Find Alphas

Try your search at http://search.ebscohost.com

Principle 1: Find Alphas

alpha

alpha

beta

beta

don’t bother

Principle 2: Breadcrumb

Like Hansel and Gretel, follow the breadcrumb trail

Principle 2: BreadcrumbPopular article

Original study

Principle 2: BreadcrumbArticle that cited study

Reference list

New trail to follow

Principle 2: Breadcrumb

Basic format:Author. (Date). Retrieval information.

Book

Journal

Web article

Perrin, R. (2006). Pocket guide to APA style. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

Cuddy, C. M. (2002). Demystifying APA style. Orthopaedic Nursing, 21(5), 35-42. Retrieved June 28, 2004, from Academic Search Premier database.

APA documentation. (2006). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from University of Wisconsin Writing Center Web site: http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocAPA.html

Principle 2: Breadcrumb

http://www.uwisc.edu

http://www.uwisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocAPA.html

Principle 3: Trust the processKuhlthau’s Model of Research

Principle 3: Trust the process

Is Kuhlthau’s model credible?

What’s in her reference list?