WI+RE for Instructors

Libraries on all 10 University of California campuses are now connected through UC Library Search, a unified discovery and borrowing system. Watch this video to learn more about this new discovery tool!

Learn how to access the UCLA Digital Library (DL), the different kinds of materials available through the DL, and how to familiarize yourself with and search through the collections using the DL homepage.

This tutorial identifies the Digital Library as a resource for supporting primary source research, and outlines how to find and access the Digital Library as well as its scope.

First, identify the core concepts in one of your research questions. Then, generate multiple synonyms and alternative phrasings for each core concept.

This tutorial demonstrates how to use an assignment prompt to find find, discover, and access relevant primary sources on the Digital Library homepage.

Ready to get the most out of your article search? This tutorial will help you successfully navigate search filters, construct effective searches, and download the full texts of your articles!

Give it a try:

Visit our databases and get searching! Use the tips you learned in the video to make sure that your search is neither too broad nor too narrow!

Tips:

• Use synonyms to broaden your search.
• Use search filters and sorting options to narrow your search.
• Use opposite search terms to find out if some authors have found conflicting results.
• For more help on turning your questions into keywords, see our workshop on Developing Research Questions and Creating Keywords

Language changes over time and groups of people may refer to the same thing using different words. Learn how to use a variety of keywords when searching for resources!

Download the Keywords in Historical Context PDF.

Learn to tell the difference between primary and secondary sources by becoming a contestant on everybody's favorite new game show, Wheel of Sources! Click on the interactive video below to get started.

Key Terms from the Video

• Empirical Study: An empirical study is a type of research that uses empirical evidence, meaing that the research is conducted using direct or indirect observation for its findings. This is in contrast to non-empirical studies, which do not involve direct or indirect observation and analyze pre-existing phenomena or materials for their findings.
• Meta-Analysis: A meta-analysis, like a review article, analyzes and evaluates the results of multiple scientific studies.
• Primary Sources in the Humanities: Provide a firsthand account of a research topic.
• Primary Sources in the Sciences: Contain original research.
• Primary and Secondary Sources in the Social Sciences: In the social sciences, primary and secondary source definitions vary based on the type of method and theoretical approach of the specific discipline. Either the humanities or the sciences definitions may apply.
• Review Article: A review article summarizes the current state of understanding on a given topic, by providing a broad overview of published research articles on that topic. A review article does not introduce original research findings.
• Secondary Sources in the Humanities: Interpret, summarize, or critique the original information.
• Secondary Sources in the Sciences: Summarize, analyze, or review other primary research papers, but do not contain original research.
• Tertiary Sources: Tertiary sources provide overviews, summaries, or indexes of both primary and secondary source materials. Examples include encyclopedias and dictionaries.