Revision Strategy #7: Re-search
- Is your essay thin on information? Are you considering refocusing the next research draft, or narrowing your initial focus? Are there places in your personal essay or argument where you think, "gee, some facts about that would really help?" Does your draft raise any questions research can help answer? If you answer yes to any of these questions, go on to step #2.
- Do two or more of the following:
- If tightening your focus, develop new or narrower search terms using Library of Congress Subject Headings. Begin new search.
- Check "fact books for statistics on topic (e.g Statistical Abstracts of the U.S., World Almanac of Facts, Information Please Almanac, Facts on File, etc.) These are all in the reference room and many are online.
- Search on Internet. Use at least three different search engines if looking on same focus. Begin with MetaCrawler if searching on new focus (www.metacrawler.com). Try a subject search rather than a keyword search (try the Virtual Library: www.w3.org/pub/DataSources/bySubject).
- Dig more deeply on existing focus: interview someone new, check the Bibliographic Index, search by author instead of topic, or check a specialized index. Many of these are available online at the Albertson's Library web pag (e.g. Art Index, Biological Abstracts, Communication Abstracts, Education Index, Applied Science and Technology Index, Medline, America: History and Life, Music Index, Philosopher's Index, Social Science Index, Humanities Index, Psychological Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Women's Studies Abstracts, etc.)
- Option: Return in one hour and write a brief report on what you did and what you found. What indexes or other references did you consult? What search terms did you try? Where did you go on the Internet? What was the result of any of these searches?
From: Bruce Ballenger, Boise State University