Developing Your Topic
Not sure where to start when coming up with a topic for your paper? Try creating a mind map. Write a topic that interests you in the middle of a piece of paper. Then surround the topic word with the words who, what, when, where, and why. Try answering those questions as they relate to the topic in the center of the paper. This will help you narrow down to a specific area of your topic that you’re interested in. If you would like more information about mind maps, visit this site: http://www.austincc.edu/adnfac/collaborative/online_mapping.htm
Identifying Your Keywords
When searching the catalog, you can’t ask a question like on Google. You must use keywords. Keywords are concepts or ideas you find in your class lectures and readings. It can help to keep a list of keywords related to your topic, including synonyms and related words, before you start searching.
Identifying Your Sources
It can help your research if you know what kinds of sources the library can provide to you to help answer your question. Sometimes you will have to use multiple types of sources. If you need help identifying a source, ask a librarian! The types of sources available in the library include:
When searching for books in our catalog, it helps to search using Library of Congress Subject Headings. Subject Headings act like tags, where they identify the key points of the book and link to other books about the same subject within our catalog. Here are some Subject Headings related to medical ethics that are a good place to start. For more information on Library of Congress Subject Headings and medical ethics, visit here: https://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/tracer-bullets/bioethicstb.html
When searching medical databases for journal articles related to medical ethics, it helps to search the words that are used by the authors who wrote the articles and the librarians who organize the articles. Here is a list of recommended search terms using the U.S. National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings. To find more MeSH terms related to your topic, search here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh
Boolean Operators
Want to search for only certain keywords or keyword combinations? Try Boolean Operators! Here are the three Boolean Operators you will need and how they work:
Parenthesis, Quotation Marks, and Truncation
Using some keyboard shortcuts can assist in creating a more targeted result. These shortcuts are parenthesis, quotation marks, and truncation.