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WS 307: Womxn of Color Feminisms: Researching & Interacting with Information

Research Workshop: Discussion Exercise

Discussion Exercise

What topic are you interested in researching for your WS 307 project?
What strategies do you anticipate using for finding sources?
What questions do you have about your WS 307 project?
How can the library help?

Refining a Topic

To narrow a topic, consider raising what, why/how, who, where, and when questions:

What: What questions do you have about the topic?
Why/How: Why and how is the topic meaningful to you and/or to society more broadly?
Who: Which population or group are you interested in researching?
Where: Which geographic area (local/state, national, or international) are you interested in researching?
When: Which time period are you interested in researching (historical or current)?

Adapted from MIT Libraries

Questions to Raise When Reviewing Information Sources

What strikes you or surprises you about the information presented?
How would the information be useful for your project?
Who is the author? How could various areas of identity and forms of oppression shape the author’s experiences? How might this shape the information conveyed?
Who is the intended audience for this information?
What outside sources does the author use? How would the additional sources be useful for your research?