HUMN100/101

Welcome to the HUMN 100/101 Research Guide. This guide is designed to help you find resources needed for your research essay assignments. Use the menu on the left to find different types of resources and to learn about using the library.

The box below outlines sections in the Library Online Library Research Tutorial. A fantastic, site-by-step guide to doing research, put together by ECU Librarian Ana Diab. 

These tutorials will introduce you to library research. They provides videos and activities to help with:

• planning research (concept mapping + writing a research question)
• understanding the types of resources held in the library, including peer-reviewed journals, books, videos, abstracts + indexes, open access resources, and others.
• searching effectively using Boolean logic and other search techniques to broaden and narrow the scope of your search result. 
• understanding different library search tools such as catalogues, databases, federated search engines, and publications search.
• accessing resources such as full-text articles, ebooks, interlibrary loans, and others.
• evaluating resources using critical evaluation criteria.
• connecting to library research help services.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the library. We are happy to help. 

• Once you've received an assignment it's a good idea to read the assignment over to make sure you understand it. If you're unclear on any aspects of the assignment clarify with your instructor what it is you're being asked to do.
• Develop a topic and then decide how best to narrow its focus.
• Determine the types of sources you'll need to gather for your assignment: books, journal articles, images?
• Think of some of the key words that best describe your topic.
• Use the library's resources to find the sources you need. Use the key words you thought of to conduct your search. Ask a librarian for help if you need it. Refer to the Getting Started in the Library guide.
• Gather your sources together in an easy to find location. A folder on your desktop or in Dropbox will work well for your electronic sources such as journal articles.
• Evaluate the sources you've gathered to determine which ones will work best for your assignment.
• Remember to cite the sources you use and include them in your bibliography.

• Visit the exhibition of your choice and take note of the artists, themes, and keywords present throughout the exhibition
• Describe the assignment and brainstorm potential research topics
• Explore your topic online looking out for artists’ websites, museums + galleries, academic institutions, and other cultural organizations
• Develop some vocabulary, identify keywords and map out concepts for your research and writing practice
• Search the library catalogue and talk to a librarian using AskAway, in-person at the library, or by email.
• Research help resources can be found here
• Develop a familiarity with the publications and documents of contemporary art