Where to Start
Before you start searching for data, focus on getting a good handle on your topic. First, review the course readings for your topic that are listed in the syllabus. Then, use Google Scholar and other search engines/databases to find additional readings until you have a clear understanding of the issues surrounding your topic. Relying on only the assigned readings will not provide enough information for this assignment. As you read, take note of:
- What data is used by the authors
- How it supports the narrative
- Where the data comes from (i.e., who produced it)
Two Tools for Finding Articles and Other Research:
- Google ScholarSearches across a broad selection of scholarly literature including articles, reports, peer-reviewed papers, and books. Look for the Find it @USC link to the right of the article listing to access the full text.
- USC LibrariesUse the large search box to search across library holdings including scholalry journals, magazines, newspapers, and books.
Research Tips
Research Tip 1: Search Terms
One challenge to finding relevant articles is coming up with good search terms. Try using keywords instead of phrases. So, instead of searching for What are the barriers to accessing healthcare in developing countries, search for barriers access healthcare developing countries.
Also be sure to try different searches using a variety of terms and synonyms for your keywords. For example, if you include the phrase developing countries in your search terms, you could miss out on articles that use term developing nations, use the less-common third world, or only address barriers to healthcare in a specific country, such as India, without using the term developing anywhere in the article.
Research Tip 2: Citation Mining
Use the Google Scholar links to "Cited by..." and "Related articles" to find additional research on the topic (see screenshot below). Also scan the footnotes within an article and the works cited at the end of the article to identify additional relevant sources.
