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CRJ 650: Independent Study (Ziwei Qi)

Research on Gender Based Violence in Rural Kansas

Strategies for reading

Don’t be afraid to jump around: Scholarly articles don't have to be read like a book, paragraph by paragraph, line by line. It's ok to skim and scan! 

Read the abstract first: Previews the entire article, makes it easier to judge whether it is relevant.

Next, read the introduction and conclusion: Learn more about the topic of study and what the authors found out in the process.

Take a look at the tables, charts and graphs: Get a better idea of the results of the research or analytical study. 

Mark it up: Engage with your source! Take notes, highlight important sections. Look for what is missing as well as what is there. 

Find the source: Consult the introduction and references for other potential sources to follow up on. 

Citation Software Tools

Zotero is a citation and research management software. It allows you to save all of the articles you have found and will create a bibliography for you.