English as a Second Language Research Guide
Introduction
This web page highlights a selection of print and
electronic resources available through the Ryerson
Library that can be used to undertake research on topics related
to English as a Second Language. Many of these resources can be
accessed via computers in the Ryerson Library and in computer
labs on the Ryerson campus. If you are a Ryerson student, staff
or faculty member, access is also available through home or office
computer systems that are connected to the Internet. For further
information on connecting to Library resources from a home system,
consult the Remote
Access instructions on the Library's home page.
Background Information
Start By Defining Your Topic
Identify the main concepts in your topic, phrase
them as keywords and try to think of synonyms for your keywords.
Use Boolean searching to formulate
an effective search strategy. Try using this search
strategy worksheet to plan your search. Check the "help" or "search tips" screens of the
database(s) you are using to see which Boolean operators can be
used.
If you need help, ask at the Reference Desk, 2nd
Floor, Library or Ask a Librarian CHAT.
Once you have identified the main topic and keywords for your research,
you may want to find one or more sources of background information
to read. These sources will help you understand the broader context
of your research and tell you in general terms what is known about
your topic. For background information on your subject, you can
consult reference books (eg dictionaries, directories, handbooks),
located on the 2nd Floor, Reference, or in the book stacks as
"Non-Circ." Some useful reference works for ESL and essay writing
are:
Canadian Oxford Dictionary 2nd ed. 2004 (2nd Floor, Reference) (also available online)
Canadian Style: A Guide to Writing and Editing (9th Floor, Library use only)
On-Line Academic Language Skills Workshops (Ryerson's English Language Support initiative)
Books
and Videos
Books (also called monographs) typically give
a broad, thorough treatment of a subject, usually from a retrospective
point of view. In the Ryerson Library, most books
related to language, writing and the media are located in the
P call number ranges on the 9th floor. If you do not have a specific
author or title of a book, and you do not know the Library of
Congress Subject Heading, search the Library
Catalogue by Keywords. When you find good sources, you can check the subject
headings listed in the subject field of the online record for
these books. Then do subject searches using those subject headings
to locate additional titles.
Print or write down the citation (author, title,etc.)
and the location information (call
number and floor). Note whether the book is available or out
on loan. When you pull the book from the shelf, you can scan the
bibliography for additional sources.
Ryerson Library Audio Visual Collection
AV
materials are located on the 5th floor, and are listed
in the Library Catalogue.
For a quick way to find videos, search by Keywords, and
type in your keyword(s) followed by the word "videorecording".
Find Journal Articles Using Periodical Databases
Ryerson Library Periodicals Collection
Periodicals generally provide information that is
in-depth and focused, usually from a contemporary point of view.
Periodicals may be academic/scholarly;
popular or trade publications.
Print Periodicals
(journals, magazines) are located on the 5th floor, and are listed
by title in the Library
Catalogue.
The Library provides electronic access to the full-text of a large number of journals. These electronic journals, as well as our print journals, are listed in the Journals by Title A-Z list.
To Find Articles On Specific Topics Within Journals,
You Should Use Periodical Databases.
Web Access to Databases :
The Ryerson Library has a large array of databases
(which may be indexes, abstracts or full-text) on a wide range
of subjects, accessed through the Library Homepage. (www.library.ryerson.ca)
Connecting from on-campus: Click on Articles
and Indexes, then click on Subject.
Click on Multi-Disciplinary.
Click on the appropriate database to connect or for a description
of the database. Follow on-line instructions to connect, and once
in the database, check the on-line help screens for search tips.
Connecting from off-campus: Click on Articles
and Indexes, then on Access
from home, and follow the instructions.
The following are some of the remote databases
useful for research on topics for ESL courses:
- Academic
Seach Premier provides full text for 1,360 academic,
social sciences, humanities, general science, education and
multi-cultural journals. In addition to the full text, this
database offers indexing and abstracts for 2,920 journals. Dates of coverage: 1984-present (citations and abstracts); 1990-present (full text).
-
CBCA
Complete Canadian Business & Current Affairs (CBCA)
is Canada's largest and most comprehensive bibliographic full
text reference and current events database. CBCA Complete
combines full text and indexed content from all CBCA
database subsets (Current Events, Business, Science and Medicine, Arts, and
Education). Dates of coverage: 1982-present (citations); 1993-present (full text).
- CPIQ (Canadian Periodical Index) provides comprehensive coverage
of 400 Canadian and international periodicals. All subject
areas are represented, with an emphasis on mainstream and
academic titles available in Canadian libraries. Dates of coverage: 1988-present (citations/index); 1995-present (full text).
- Lexis/Nexis
a full-text database which focuses primarily on business,
legal and news resources. Included in the database are law
reports, company filings, journal and newspaper articles,
broadcast transcripts, etc. Dates of coverage varies.
- Proquest
Research Library provides access to full-text journals across
a wide range of subject areas, including business, education,
literature, political science, and psychology. Over 2,600 journal
titles are covered. Dates of coverage: 1971-present (citations); 1986-present (full text, selective).
For effective searching of the above electronic databases Boolean
search strategy should be used.
Print Indexes:
For older resources not covered in the electronic indexes and databases, consult the Print Indexes and Abstracts located on the 5th floor, on the last two ranges of shelves. Some useful indexes are:
Humanities Index (1974-1996)
Social Sciences Index (1974-1996)
Social Sciences & Humanities Index (1966-1974)
International Index to Periodicals (1946-1965)
Canadian Periodical Index (1938-2002)
Evaluate Your Sources
Evaluate Your Sources
Peer Reviewed/Scholarly Journals
Evaluating Internet Resources
Critical Thinking
Cite Your Sources And Use A Standard Format For Your Bibliography
Understanding Citations
It is important to cite all your sources and use a standard format for your
bibliography.
Format the citations in your bibliography using examples from sources
such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological
Association (APA) standards. These are available on the Web. Check Citations and Style Guides.
Handouts of these formats are available online from the Writing Centre.
Search The Web For Resources
You can also check out the Web for additional resources, but be sure
follow Evaluate Your Sources.
Ryerson Library Subject Guides: The Ryerson Library has developed subject guides to resources on the Internet
and in the Library. From the Ryerson
Library Homepage, click on Research
Guides, then click on your subject.
Subject Classified Directories are collections of hyperlinks
to WWW resources arranged by subject headings: (eg Health,
Science, Arts and Humanties, etc.). Search Engines are designed
to search for information available on the WWW using keywords.To
get to Subject Classified Directories and Search Engines from the Ryerson Library Homepage,
click on Research
Guides, then click on Search
the Internet.
Other Internet Resources
Resource Centres/Virtual Libraries
Tutorials and Learning Tools
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