Before you start typing words in a search box, it's important to do some "pre-search." Library databases do not speak the same language as Google, so we must translate our topics into a phrase that a database will understand.
Your first step is to contemplate your topic and brainstorm all the terms you can think of related to this concept. Next, formulate search phrases using the keywords you just generated using the word and to connect our keywords. For example, while what impact does social class have on how people were impacted by the response to Hurricane Helene, is a great way of describing a topic, but not an effective search phrase. However, Hurricane Helene and response is an effective, if broad, starting search phrase.
Finding newspaper or magazine articles about hurricanes is fairly straightforward. Keep in mind that the more recent hurricanes will have less news coverage of the aftereffects and disaster response and recovery than hurricanes in the more distant past. Common terminology used with searching for articles about hurricanes are disaster relief, disaster recovery, damage, impact, and response.
Where your search process becomes more complex is linking the social theory/theorist to the social response to the hurricane. You won't be able to locate relevant articles by searching Patricia Hill Collins and Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Helene and Black feminist theory. Instead, you'll need to think more conceptually and try something like Hurricane Helene and impact and race.
Moreover, the intellectual work of the linking will involve YOU and your thoughts and ideas, which do not exist in a database anywhere...at least not that I'm aware of.
Finally, your search process will likely involve some trial and error. Experiment with your keywords and search phrases. Keep track of what terms you use in which database so you can retrace your steps if needed.
Access thousands of scholarly journals in most disciplines, as well as magazines and newspapers.
OneSearch provides access to the majority of the IU Southeast Library's resources. Rather than searching in IUCAT for books, Academic Search Premier or JSTOR for peer-reviewed journal articles, and Gale Virtual Reference Library for encyclopedia entries, you can do one search in OneSearch and retrieve results for all types of materials. OneSearch provides access to journal, magazine, and newspaper articles, books and e-books, government documents, DVDs and streaming videos, and more. The default search in OneSearch will return only items that are either available through an IU Southeast subscribed database or are available in the IU Southeast Library; however, you can modify this to include citations and abstracts as well (using the Limiters on the results page).
ACCESS NOTE: For non-IU Southeast students, faculty, and staff, guest access to OneSearch is available here: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=guest&custid=iuse&groupid=main&profile=eds