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HHP 210: Intro to Health & Human Performance (Walters): Finding Sources

Created for students in HHP210, this guide will help students find sources for a presentation on a historical HHP topic

1) Selecting a Topic

Selecting a Topic

It's important that you focus your presentation about the history of a Heath and Human Performance topic. It may include:

  • life of a prominent person
  • history of a specific sport
  • physical activity trends of an era
  • advances in therapy
  • equality in athletics
  • anything else approved by your professor

In your research, make sure you discover what made your topic historically significant and provide any background information or context for your audience to understand how it has had an impact on the future of HHP.

Watch the video below to learn about strategies for narrowing your topic to an appropriate scope for your group presentation.

2) Finding Library Sources

Background Info

Background information is important for you to learn about your topic but also important for you to share with your audience of how to contextualize the topic and discuss its historical significance.

Use the reference/encyclopedia databases below to gather background information on your topic. You should cite these library sources too!

Search the Library Catalog

The library catalog searches most of the materials in the research databases pulling them all into one set of search results.

After searching keywords that relate to your topic (ex. history AND baseball), you can filter your results using the sidebar to see magazines, book chapters, reference entries (encyclopedias, etc.), and other types of sources.

HHP Databases

For more specific topics, you might have better luck finding library resources in one of the HHP research databases. These will be books and publications specifically for this area of study vs. general readings. You are likely to find more specialized information in these databases written for an audience who has some experience in the health sciences and industries.

History Databases

Depending on your topic, you might want to explore some of the history databases and their take on it. These history databases will likely include primary and secondary research reports about the person or event.

Finding Internet Sources

Finding Internet Sources

You can also use the internet to find additional sources. Watch the tutorial below for some tips of how to search Google more effectively. Think about websites, associations, or organizations who may have authority on your topic and try a site search for your topic.

Tips for Searching Google

  1. Search keyword(s) + Type of File: Locate PDF reports, books, book chapters, and other publications. Or use PPT to find presentations that have been uploaded to websites. It's important to pay attention to the affiliated URL to help you determine the credibility.
    EX: history of baseball filetype:pdf
     
  2. Search a keyword + Specific website or domain: Search any webpage relating to the keyword on a specific site
    EX: history of baseball site:www.mlb.com
     
  3. “Use Quotations Around Phrases”
    EX: "Kansas City Monarchs" history

Library Research Tutorials

Library Research Tutorials

Use the videos, written, and interactive tutorials to learn about Forsyth Library resources and services, how to do library research, and tips for writing and citing.

Library Research Tutorials

Topic Tip

Narrow Your Topic

If your topic is specific, you'll have a better experience researching and creating your presentation.

If your topic is too broad (ex. the history of baseball), think of ways to narrow it by focusing on one of the 5 W's: 

  • who
  • what
  • when
  • where
  • why