Research Skills for M.A. Students 1.1, World of Books

1. Introduction to Drew Library

• Map
• Library Webpage
• Catalog
• Databases

2. Transitions

• Dewey to LC
• Print to electronic
  • A free online scholarly book (also in print)
  • A purchased book in print and electronic form
  • A free online-only scholarly journal
  • An online-only subscription journal

3. Research Process: from Topic to Question to Thesis

• A one-page overview
• Print guides
  • Badke, Bill. Research Strategies: Finding Your Way Through the Information Fog. New York: iUniverse, 2011.
  • Pazmino, Robert W. Doing Theological Research. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock, 2009.
  • Vyhmeister, Nancy Jean. Quality Research Papers, for Students of Religion and Theology.Zondervan, 2008       

4. Styles of Research by Area: Bible, Historical Studies, Theology/Philosophy, Religion & Society, Liturgical Studies

5. Tools of the Trade: Encyclopedias, Bibliographies, Library catalogs, Periodical databases, Internet

6. Subject Encyclopedias

• Versus general encyclopedias (especially Wikipeida)
• What they supply: encirclements, names, open questions, bibliographies (key texts)
• Online
  • Oxford Reference Online

• • Credo reference library

• • Gale reference library

• • Oxford African American Studies Center
• Finding the most useful, on-topic encyclopedias
  • Reference Universe
  • Searching the catalog
• Evaluating encyclopedias (example: Encyclopedia of the Reformation)

7. Bibliography

• As genre: monograph, bibliographic essay
• Example of bibliographic essay:
  • Evans, Christopher H.  "Selected Bibliography."  In Liberalism without Illusions:
       Renewing an American Christian Tradition.  Waco, Texas:Baylor University Press, 2010.
• As addendum, bibliographic notes, reference lists
• Finding them

• • Religion Compass

• • Chronicle of Higher Education

• • Religious Studies Review

8. Library catalogs

• Drew's Catalog
  • Author and/or title searching
  • Subject searching (LCSH)
• Worldcat
  • Deeper searches of Drew Library
  • Interlibrary loan

9.  Online Books

• Google Books
• Ebrary
• Oxford Scholarship Online
• Dissertations and Theses

10.  Evaluating Books

• Contemporary Authors
• Google Books and Google Scholar  
• Arts and Humanities Citation Index  
• Publisher webpages, e.g. Baker Academicand Ashgate
• Book reviews, in databases, and via Amazon