Once you have chosen a topic and have Dr. Wahhaj's approval, the next step for you to take is to generate keywords. Keywords are the search terms that you will use to find information about your topic. This video explains how to compose keywords from your topic.
Now that you have keywords, it's time to search the databases. Have you used the databases before? If you don't have recent experience with our library's databases, then I suggest watching this introductory video.
It's a good idea to get background information about your topic before diving into deeper waters, so to speak. The research process is a gradual one, so build up your background knowledge of your topic so that you will be able to later recognize if a scholarly source of information is useful to you.
Search the database Academic Search Complete to find scholarly journal articles published within the past ten years about your topic. Make sure that you are limiting your search results to both of those requirements.
Search the database US Major Dailies to find newspaper articles published within the past three years about your topic.
You must cite your sources according to the MLA style of documentation.
This is our video that introduces MLA documentation. I urge you to watch the entire video carefully before starting to write your paper. It is much easier to cite correctly as you go along, rather than try to fix your documentation after you have written your paper.
This is our sample paper. You can model the formatting of your paper after this one. If you are unsure how to set up the formatting in Microsoft Word so that it fits the requirements for MLA formatting, you could instead download this blank Word document that has the formatting already set up for you.
This is our 2-page handout that summarizes the MLA style. It includes most of the types of sources that students commonly use.
