I recommend the following procedure for completing this assignment: Look over the list of suggested topics in the syllabus, and choose at least one that sparks your interest. Print out a copy of this web page, and go to the library. Plan to spend at least several hours there. If you need help with using the library resources, do not hesitate to ask at the help desk near the library main entrance. Take notes for yourself on the printed web page. When you can answer all the questions on this handout, go back to your computer, copy-and-paste the material on this page into a word-processing document. Then type in your responses. You should use about the same amount of space for each response that I have provided on the web version of this handout.

Your name: 

Topic you have selected for your final reading analysis:

What interests you about this topic? What do you hope to learn? (Answer in no more than a half page.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Use at least four different databases (e.g., SU Catalog, Academic Search Premier, Arts & Humanities Search, Biological Abstracts, Historical Abstracts, Ingenta, JSTOR, MLA International Bibliography, WorldCat, etc.) to search for books and articles on your chosen topic. Provide a bibliography of at least eight texts that you believe will be useful in researching your topic: (See the library web page for links to these and other databases. Use the databases that best suit your topic; for example, for a paper on hormones and masculinity include a search of Biological Abstracts. Use MLA bibliographic style to format your bibliography below. At the end of each reference to a book or article, list in parenthesis the database in which you found that book or article. Your bibliography must include books and journal articles. Do NOT include any internet sources, newspaper or popular magazine articles.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

 
Which one of the above sources are you most interested in reading for your final reading analysis and why? [Notice that either by 16 or 18 September (check the schedule) you need to have read this article or book chapter, so check out or make a copy of the reading you select while you are doing this assignment.]

List the library resources (e.g., areas of the library, sources in the reference collection, particular on-line search engines, library staff) that you have found the most useful for finding information on your topic:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

List the library resources that you have not yet used, but think might be useful for finding information on your topic: