ENGL 100 (Birch) Onsite

ENGL 100 Assignment

Library databases give you access to credible, reliable, and peer-reviewed information. Use them to find:

1. Quality Information: All resources are vetted by experts.
2. Narrow Search Options: You can filter by subject, publication type, and date to find exactly what you need.
3. Access to Full-Text Articles: Many databases offer full access to articles that aren't free on the web."

This video provides an overview of the distinguishing characteristics of popular and scholarly sources.

This video provides a quick breakdown of a scholarly journal, and how to read one so you can extract the information you need!

Narrowing your Focus

Broad Topic: Gender Stereotypes in Popular Culture

• General and covers too many aspects.

• Doesn't specify a target group or specific effects.

*Tip: Choose something you're passionate about!

Focused Research Question: How do music, film, and advertising reinforce or challenge traditional gender roles among adolescents, and what impact does this have on their perceptions of gender identity and expression?

• Specific group: adolescents

• Location: United States

• Specific focus: gender identity and expression

*Tip: Use the 5 W's to help you narrow your focus (Who, what, where, when, why)

Key Terms

Find information on your topic in a database, you'll need to come up with key terms. 

How do music, film, and advertising reinforce or challenge traditional gender roles among adolescents, and what impact does this have on their perceptions of gender identity and expression?

• media, pop culture, mass media, media influence
• gender norms, expectations, stereotypes
• United States, Western cultures, North America
• gender spectrum, gender fluidity, diversity

Combining with Broader Social Issues

• media AND social values
• pop culture AND identity
• representation in popular culture
• gender roles in media
• race AND pop culture
• mental health AND media
• environmental issues in pop culture

Areas within Pop Culture

• reality television
• comic books and graphic novels
• video games and gender
• internet memes
• music genres (e.g., hip-hop culture, rock culture)
• influencer culture
• fan culture

Database Searching 

Now that you have a list of key terms to describe your topic, combine them and enter them into the database or search bar to find results.

• combination of key terms will determine your results
  • Key terms: film AND gender expression AND teenagers
• use the filters on the results page to narrow results
  • source
  • date
  • subject

*Tip: Once you find a good source, make sure you email it and use the citation tool to save some time