Your Peer Research & Writing Specialist
Your Peer Research and Writing Specialist (PRWS or "Pro") for the Food Cluster is Katelyn Loh.
Set up a consultation with Katelyn to talk about research, writing, assignments, study skills, and getting settled in the Cluster program and at UCLA!
Office Hours:
Mondays at 10am-12pm
(Rieber Hall, LLC - Lounge)
Appointments: Schedule here
Your Library Liaison
24/7 Research Help
Related Research Guides
Welcome!
Welcome to your Cluster M1 Research Guide! This is where you'll find resources to support your research and writing for Food: A Lens for Environment and Sustainability.
In addition to this guide, the Food Cluster has its own Library Team. We are available to answer questions and meet to discuss your assignments for the course. Keep in touch!
Katelyn Loh
Peer Research & Writing Specialist (PRWS or "Pro")
katelynloh@g.ucla.edu
Office Hours:
- 10am-12pm Mondays
- Rieber Hall LLC (Living Learning Community) Lounge
Schedule an Appointment (In-person & Online)
Alexandra Solodkaya
Rothman Family Food Studies Librarian
asolodkaya@library.ucla.edu
Schedule an Appointment (Online)
Virtual Library Tour
Take the UCLA Library Virtual Tour and learn more about the resources and support available to you!
Fall 2023 Key Research and Writing Resources
Throughout the fall quarter, the Library Team will be presenting key resources each week to support your research, writing, and overall well-being at UCLA.
Week 1
Library Resources of the Week:
Cluster M1 Research Guide - Embarking on your first research and writing project in college can feel daunting. Fortunately, you have online access to our very own research guide, which provides Cluster M1 students with resources tailored to their specific needs! From crafting your research question to finding scholarly articles, this guide will help you conquer the various stages of your writing process and access the many UCLA Library resources at your disposal.
Get to know the library a little better with the Virtual Tour. This tour is geared specifically to Cluster students and you can find it on the Cluster M1 Research Guide.
Finally, Research Help is a great way to reach out to the library with your questions. From quick online chat questions to booking a consultation to discovering librarians who specialize in your major, this page will show you the many, many ways to reach out and keep in touch.
Week 2
Library Resources of the Week:
Check out this tutorial on Annotated Bibliographies for your upcoming assignment. Plus find this video and slides explaining how to search for sources using library resources.
Week 3
Library Resource of the Week: UCLA Holistic Health resources
CAPs
CAPs is the UCLA Counseling and Psychological Center here to support your mental well-being as you work towards your academic goals. They offer free or very low cost individual or group therapy sessions, psychiatric evaluations and treatment, and programs and workshops focusing on wellness promotion.
RISE Center
The UCLA RISE (Resilience In Your Student Experience) Center is a “holistic wellness hub that provides an array of programs, classes, training, and self-directed resources to foster and support resilience, connection, and well-being for our UCLA community.” Located at Lu Valle commons, this free space offers meditation, yoga, handouts, playlists, and other mind-body resources.
Teaching Kitchen
The teaching kitchen is an interactive educational space focused on food and wellness, including nutrition, culinary skills, and food insecurity. Check out their workshops, such as a culinary bootcamp or a session on budget-friendly, balanced meals. The teaching kitchen is community-centric and inclusive - all skill levels and backgrounds are welcome!
Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center (HCI)
HCI encompasses seven pods, each with their own focus but an ultimate goal of fostering health and wellness within the entire UCLA community. Pods include EATwell, Breathewell, or Engagewell, among others! As students, you can get engaged by attending events, listening to thier podcasts, or joining a pod as a member.
Week 4
Library Resource of the Week: Research and citation help
Citation Help from Cluster M1 Research Guide
Check out Purdue Online Writing Lab's APA guide. From citing articles to electronic sources, this guide is a great resource to refer to when you need citation help!
Breaking Down Academic ArticlesLinks to an external site.
We get it – long, detailed academic articles are overwhelming! Head over to the "Breaking Down Academic Articles" tutorial, which will equip you with reading strategies that help you take away the most essential information from the article.
Undergraduate Writing Center (UWC)
The UWC provides free one-on-one appointments to support you in the writing process for course papers, capstone projects, senior thesis papers or application materials (resumes, CVs, statements of purpose or cover letters). In the case that you would like extra support on your Cluster paper or a paper from another class, UWC services will help you improve your writing!
Week 5
Library Resource of the Week: Thesis Statements & Integrating and Synthesizing Sources
Undergraduate Writing Center (UWC): Approaching the Thesis
The thesis you craft for your chosen research question is the foundation of your paper, so I encourage you to read through the UCLA UWC's guide on developing a sophisticated thesis. This article breaks down the essential elements and provides helpful examples!
Synthesizing Sources
As you continue to collect sources, you must begin to think about how they will compliment each other to support your thesis. Generating a well-constructed, nuanced argument relies on your ability to synthesize multiple pieces of information (i.e. what you found via research!). Check out Purdue Owl's short guide to synthesizing sources!
Integrating Sources
Now that you have sources, you'll need to start utilizing them to support your argument/response. This guide differentiates between paraphrasing and direct quotes as well as provides tips for how and when to use each method.
Week 6
Library Resource of the Week: Enrollment Advice and Professor Panel!
Enrollment Advice + Writing I & II Clarifications
Enrollment is opening up soon, so I've included some advice and tips that I wish I knew earlier in my UCLA career. Enrollment can be stressful, but using these strategies have personally reduced anxiety and prevented enrollment hiccups/troubles. I've also provided clarifications on your Writing 1 & 2 requirements - each year, students have similar questions so take a look!
Food Systems and Animal Rights in Academia UCLA Professor Panel
Interested in learning about food systems and animal rights from a panel of distinguished UCLA professorsLinks to an external site., two of whom are leaders of our very own Cluster teaching faculty, Dr. Jennifer Jay and Dr. Jay O'Shea? RSVP using the link above to attend the panel on November 13th, 6:00pm PST at Dodd Hall 147! To learn more about this event, check out Plant Futures at UCLA's InstagramLinks to an external site.. This is a great opportunity to expand your knowledge about sustainability and food studies in a non-classroom setting!
Week 7
Library Resource of the Week: Health/Wellness at UCLA & Powell Cookbooks Collection!
UCLA Group Fitness Passes
Get fit with fellow Bruins! If you're looking for a variety of fun group exercise classes to take throughout the quarter, the GroupX Fitness & Yoga Pass is for you! The pass is $45 for the quarter and offers a diverse schedule of classes from spin, to yoga, and more. By adding exercise consistently into your college routine, you can destress and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Teaching Kitchen
Grab a friend and spice up your life together! Culinary and baking workshops offered by the Teaching Kitchen are free of charge and open to all UCLA students throughout the quarter. If you'd like to learn a variety of culinary skills and make more fun memories at UCLA, sign up for the next workshop using the link above!
Powell Cookbooks Collection
Curious to learn more about the histories of food and food culture? Check out Powell Library's collection of cookbooks and contemporary writing! This flavorful collection of cookbooks allows you to explore a wide range of different cultures while also expanding your knowledge of history through the perspective of food
Week 8
Library Resource of the Week: Revising
The Undergraduate Writing Center (UWC) has created two helpful handouts with strategies for editing and revision! I encourage you to use their exercises to enhance your paper:
Week 9
Library Resource of the Week: Common book experience read-alikes and film screening:
UCLA Common Experience Intersectional Environmentalist Readalikes
Check out these audiobooks that are free for you to borrow through the UCLA Common Experience Overdrive! If you're particularly interested in reading more about the environment and sustainability beyond class lectures, this audiobook collection can provide you with enjoyable reads in the form of novels. Beyond this collection, I encourage you to explore the UCLA Overdrive as you can access ebooks/audiobooks in various genres and topics of your interest, from comic books and manga to historical fiction!
On December 7 from 7-9pm, there will be an insightful documentary screening about our country's broken food systems and the innovators who hope to transform it. Click on the link above to read more about the screening and register if you're interested in attending!
Week 10
Library Resource of the Week: Stressbuster!
Stressbusters is a series of events and resources created by the UCLA library to support students during week 10 and finals week! There are live events like therapy dogs or a Jazz performance, curated playlists, recommended FREE movies, selected WI+RE tutorials, coloring pages, calming videos, and more! Make sure to check out the virtual stressbusters package which links to these resources!