TC 303: Reading & Composition in World Literature / Grumberg

We are going to use the theory articles on your canvas page as an entry point into scholarship. I consider this method to be a gratifying shortcut - far preferable to brainstorming keywords in databases. Use this method in any and every research project moving forward, no matter the discipline.

In groups, we are going to use markers to highlight key search terms.

• What words does the author use repeatedly?
• What words are unfamiliar to you?
• Use the dictionary or handbook at your table (or use the ones linked at left) to define terms and talk about the answers.

The beginning of an article (sometimes called the introduction) is where the author lays out the conversation around the topic with which they are dealing. The author is demonstrating they are engaged and invested in the topic and that they are contributing something new and meaningful to the field based upon what has come before.

Highlight:

• Citations you can explore to learn more about aspects of the topic or theory
• Places of disagreement: Has the author signaled a point of departure? Citations they seek to stand in contrast to? (if applicable)
• What the author is saying that is new (this is often, but not always, near the end of the 'intro')
• Go to the references at the end of the article and highlight citations you might want to pursue based on their titles (or authors if you see some names repeated).

If you have an article or text you like, you can upload it and the tool will analyze the text and break down for you key terms.

Sometimes it will lead you to similar articles or ideas, but even at a basic level, it can be helpful to use this tool for keyword brainstorming.