This research guide was created for the MALA 6050 (Migration), GEOG 4360 (Cultural Geography) and GS 3040 (Contemporary Migration) courses to specifically support the contemporary immigrant groups assignments. It includes suggestions for finding scholarly articles, books, videos, and a few credible websites. To begin, try using the JEWL search option or a specific database such as JSTOR or SCOPUS.
Flexibility of search terms is required to do research at an advanced level. There will not be a single perfect search for this assignment. Expect to repeat the search process multiple times--that's normal! A few things to keep in mind, there are controversies surrounding the definitions of terminology related to this assignment, including immigrants/immigration, refugees, exiles, ethnic groups, diaspora, emigrants/emigration, and migrants/migration. So be open minded about the different terminology options and spelling variations. To search spelling variations, use the shortest form of a word and add on an asterisk symbol. This is called truncation searching. Example: immigra* would search for immigration, immigrants, immigrating, and so on.
TIP: A few helpful words to add into your specific ethnic group searches might include: acculturation, assimilation, integration, inclusive, enclave, ethnic studies, settlements, resettlements, communities, patterns, and populations.
If none of this works, ask for help!!
Step 1: Start with a JEWL Search!
Step 2: Enter your search terms in separate boxes. Evaluate the results. If necessary, repeat the search using related/similar terms to find new results. For example, in this search I could change my first search term to any of the following: Vietnamese emigra*, Vietnamese refugees, Vietnamese migra*, and keep going. Also, in the 3rd box, I could add another term such as assimilation or acculturation.
Step 3: Choose an article title from the list and view the abstract/summary to determine if it will be useful for your needs. To read the entire article, use the "link to full text" or "PDF full text" link attached to the title record. Articles can be downloaded, printed, or emailed using the menu options.
