UWP 101: Genre Research Report

If you are doing your research from off-campus, follow the instructions to set up the library’s VPN (virtual private network), Pulse Secure, so you can access journal articles, books and book chapters.

• Login to Pulse Secure with your UC Davis Kerberos ID and Duo two-factor authentication
• Check your Connection by accessing this article from the journal Computers in Human Behavior, about email communication strategies and team dynamics

☞ Help! I’ve tried and it’s not working. Check our FAQ or submit a Technical Support Request

To find examples of the writing genre you are analyzing, consider using these approaches:

STRATEGY #1: Search the UC Davis Library Catalog for books and ebooks (make sure you are logged into the VPN!)

–> Leverage Subject searches to find books that discuss specific genres or writing conventions in your discipline/profession

–> Search Terms:

• • Business communication
  • Business writing
  • Communication in <your field> e.g. communication in engineering
  • Legal composition
  • Medical writing
  • Proposal writing for grants
  • Report writing <your field> e.g. report writing psychology
  • Technical writing

–> To limit your Results to eBooks:

STRATEGY #2: Use an Advanced Google Search

–> Use “this exact word or phrase” and “any of these words” to search for genre examples. You might also consider limiting your search by domain, e.g. edu, gov, org

1. Watch these brief videos for tips on creating and refining a search strategy, and navigating the library’s Subject Guides effectively:

• Create Your Search Strategy (6:34)
• Locate Articles through the library’s Subject Guides (1:51)
• Refine Your Search Results (3:21)

2. Take the UWP101 Library Quiz to check your understanding of the strategies discussed in the library videos

3. Search for articles: UC Davis Library Subject Guides

Suggestions:

• • Remember to log into the library’s VPN
• • For this assignment, try the tools included on the library’s Subject Guides for Linguistics or Communication to search for scholarly articles that analyze writing in your discipline, in addition to discipline-specific databases
    • Recommended databases:
      • Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts
      • MLA International Bibliography
      • Communication Abstracts
      • Academic Search Complete
      • Education Source
      • ERIC
      • Google Scholar
    • Terms to consider drawing on as part of your search strategy: writing, “genre analysis”, authorship, communication, “discourse analysis”, discourse/text genres, “text analysis”
  • When you find a relevant article, pay attention to the vocabulary, references and “cited by” links to help you improve your search and identify additional articles

• • Use   to access an article online if we subscribe to it or initiate an interlibrary request (get a copy from another place)

What is Peer Review? (pdf)

APA Citation Style Resources

Chat, Email, or Make An Appointment with a Librarian (for assistance with your research)

Make an Appointment with a Writing Specialist or Tutor or Submit Writing for Feedback (for feedback on your draft)