Pick a research topic:
- Read your syllabus (assignment instructions).
- Pick a topic that interests you and meets the assignment instructions.
- Narrow or broaden the scope of your topic so that it is "doable."
What's scope? Scope refers to the "people, places and things" or "who, what, when and where" that you are studying.
Identify key concepts:
Define and get an overview of your topic or find definitions of key terms and concepts:
- Oxford Reference - Use dictionaries to help with terminology. Encyclopedias provide background information, an overview of topics and issues and often lead you to further readings
- New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics (online)
- The Oxford handbook of political economy
- Reconstructing political economy the great divide in economic thought
- International encyclopedia of the social & behavioral sciences
- Encyclopedia of Government and Politics (online)
- Encyclopedia of International Relations and Global Politics (online)
- SAGE Research Methods ( supports beginning and advanced researchers throughout a research project, from writing a research question, choosing a method, gathering and analyzing data, to writing up and publishing the findings)
Government Information - covers a world of subjects including public policy issues, legislative documents and statistics that enrich research.
Think Tank Search - search limited to think tanks dealing in public policy, including NGOs (non-governmental organizations)
Develop a search statement to search databases (including news databases), the catalogue, and other academic sources
A search statement includes a list of keywords, combined using Boolean Operators (AND; OR; NOT)
- AND - this will combine concepts, all of which must be found in your list of results
- media AND children
- OR - either this concept or that concept (or both). This is helpful for generating a list of synonyms. Use synonyms to anticipate the different ways different authors may refer to the same idea. A thesaurus can be helpful for this
- internet OR web OR online
- NOT - do not include this concept
- Mexico NOT city
- Quote marks - find a specific phrase
- "human rights"
- Truncation - any other combination of letters to follow
- Canad* - will find Canada, Canadian, Canadian's, etc.
- journalis* - will find journalism, journalist, journalistic, etc.
- Combine one or more of these operators
- Put a list of synonyms in brackets
(smartphone OR "mobile phone" OR "cell phone") AND (societ* OR cultur*)
What is a précis?
A précis is a specific kind of summary of an article, book, or speech that uses the language and overall structure of the original source.
What are the parts of a précis?
The parts of a précis will depend on the original text. Here are some steps to follow:
- Read and reflect on the original text carefully, several times. You will need to know the original text very well in order to write a proper précis.
- Write down the main points of the passage in order they appear.
- Draft a paragraph that links these points without adding any new content.
- To keep the précis brief, look for places where you can shorten phrases and remove any non-essential language. For example, Paulo Coelho’s quotation, “It’s part of the human condition to want to share things—thoughts, ideas, opinions,” could become “Humans want to share ideas with others.”
What is the purpose of a précis?
To present a shortened version of a source, while maintaining key words, data, or concepts from the original.
Note: Some kinds of précis, such as rhetorical précis, follow specific conventions not described here. Be sure to read your assignment carefully for specific requirements.
What should a précis do?
A précis should do one or more of the following:
- identify and use the keywords used in the original text or speech
- maintain the order and structure of the original
- serve as a shorter substitute for the original text or speech
How should you start writing a Precis?
The steps of writing a precis can be generally categorized as those involving careful examination of the source (with some potential note-taking) , outlining a structure, and writing down the precis itself. Writing a precis is the process of reading through/ analyzing a literary work and extracting the main points, so as to assemble a brief summary of the mentioned work.
Précis writing is not as easy as you might think! You have to keep certain points in your mind before you start to pen it down. How to write a precis? Here are some tips for you to write it!
- Read the article carefully and highlight or mark the main ideas.
- Try to reflect on what author is trying to communicate through the text.
- Take a close look at evidences that the author has used.
- You would need to restate thesis given by the author in your own words. Do note that it should be precise and on-point.
- You need to write only one or two sentences for each of the section. It would be a summary of each section but not in too many words.
- Now you need to re-read article and check whether it is in sync with your summary.
- You must review write-up and confirm whether you have covered the main points or not. Always use a logical structure.
- Check the text for correctness and clarity. Do a grammar check before submitting it to the professor.
How is a précis different from a paraphrase or summary?
The main difference between a précis and a paraphrase or summary is that in a précis you use the language and structure of the original, particularly key terms and phrases.
In paraphrases and summaries, you must use your own words as much as possible, and as few words from the original as possible.
When should I use a précis?
You should use a précis only when you are asked specifically to do so by an instructor (e.g., for an assignment).
When writing about sources in other academic papers, it’s best either to use your own words (paraphrase or summarize) or quote sources directly.
OMNI Search engine located on the library home page
use filters on the left hand site and narrow down to:
- Books and select option "Available online"
Why use journal articles?
- They are more up-to-date than most books.
- They are “peer reviewed” by other scholars in the field who check for academic integrity.
- Every article will contain cited references that appear as footnotes and/or bibliographies.
Search engine located on the library home page, allows you to search across many of the library's collections simultaneously. Including books, ebooks, journal titles, games, music, videos, government information, maps, and more.
See also our list of recommended databases on the Political Economy subject guide, which includes:
Subject specific databases
- EconLit with Full Text
- PAIS Index
- International Political Science Abstracts
- Asia-Studies Full-Text Online
- Columbia International Affairs Online
- World Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Abstracts
- Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
- CEPR Discussion Papers
- Conference Board of Canada e-Library
- World Development Indicators
- World Competitiveness Online
- Gender & Work Database
What are Keywords?
Keywords are words or short phrases that represent the main ideas in your research topic or question.
In Google, you can search using full sentences. Library databases are not as smart as Google and do not understand full sentences, spelling mistakes or conversational language.
Instead, you have to consider the words that authors are using the write about a topic.
To come up with keywords, identify the most important words in your research question or topic.
- State your research question or topic.
Do video games increase violence in teens?
- What are the key concepts? Think nouns and noun phrases.
Do video games increase violence in teens?
- List related terms
- Consider how different people or communities talk about the concept.
- Consider how language has changed over time.
- Think of broader terms, narrower terms, or synonyms.
4.Consider Using Some Search strategies
- " quotations to search phrases.
- * an asterisk to find word variations.
- AND, OR, NOT to combine terms.
Example: "video games", teen*, aggression OR violence
Consider these questions to generate more search terms
- WHO: Who is involved? Whom does it effect? Is there a specific population you will focus on?
- WHERE: Where did it begin? Do you want to focus on a specific geographic region?
- WHEN: When did it begin? Do you want to focus on a specific timeframe?
- WHY: Why does it matter? Why do you think we should investigate?
Try different search combinations and strategies! The process is iterative.
- Research and Writing in International Relations
- A Student's Guide for Writing in Political Science
- The craft of research
- Conducting your literature review
- Mining social media : finding stories in internet data
This guide provides basic information on how to cite sources and examples for formatting citations in common citation styles.
You do not need to cite common knowledge (widely-known, generally-accepted information that is not attributable to one source).
Why is Citing Sources Important?
- To give credit to ideas that are not your own
- To provide support for your argument
- To enable your reader to find and read the sources you used
- To avoid infractions
What Needs to be Cited?
- Exact wording taken from any source, including freely available websites
- Paraphrases of passages
- Summaries of another person's work
- Use of another student's work
- Use of your own previous work