Subject Guides: Global Women's Studies: GWS Capstone Research Tips

Become a Research Pro

Make sure you're spending time reading, analyzing, and writing, rather than looking again for an article you found a few weeks ago. Save time and spare yourself some frustration by organizing your research as you gather articles, books, data, etc., throughout the semester.

Keep Things in One Place

1. Create a file folder on your computer for your capstone paper
2. Give downloaded articles helpful, readable file names

1293043s93-52343iyu.pdf >>> Shoeman_S_2009.pdf

3. Use a citation manager (an online tool designed to store information about saved articles and create bibliographies)

Rather than keeping dozens of tabs and bookmarks open (which often fail in research databases) . . .

. . . try RefWorks!

Keep Track of Searches

Use a research log to keep track of the databases you've already searched and the terms/phrases you have already tried. Here's a template to copy, or create your own.
Keep track of new terms/ideas to search later on.

RefWorks

How to Send Articles from a Database to RefWorks

1. Make sure you are logged into your RefWorks account.

2. When you have found an article in a database that you want to save to RefWorks, click on “Export."

This takes you to the export options.
RefWorks is the default export option for the HBLL.

3. Your article will appear under the “Last Imported” tab in RefWorks.

Use RefWorks to Create a Draft Bibliography

1. Select all resources you want to include and select “Create Bibliography”

2. There are three options to choose from in the dropdown:

Bibliography: creates a bibliography with your selected citations and selected citation style
Quick Cite: creates in-text parenthetical citations and a bibliography for selected citations in your selected citation style

3. Remember: RefWorks and other citation generators are NOT 100% accurate. Double check your citations for accuracy and correctness!