Community Read 2023-2024: Hadha Baladuna

These tips are specific for our general Mardigian Search, however, you can apply these same keyword search strategies to anywhere you're doing research. 

Keyword Searches

• Keywords are the important themes and words you're interested in researching
• Try getting inspiration from tags on various articles. These are words or phrases that the author/publisher/editor have determined to be major themes or concepts in the piece. Search algorithms match your initial keyword searches with these tags.
• Don't use filler words like effect, impact, or connection as these will muck up the search.
• You may have to look for synonyms to your original search word(s) and variations. For example, anti-racism appears both as anti-racism and antiracism. Depending on the database you're using, you may have to search for both. 

Narrowing Down Results

• In Mardigian Search (linked above), use Refine Your Search on the left hand side
• Select Discipline and Subjects that interest you
  • Example of Disciplines: sociology & social history, social sciences, anthropology, composition, religion,...
  • Example of Subjects: Arab American authors, Arab American literature, immigrants...and many of the other themes of the book
• ​Select the publication date you find most useful by moving the yellow slide scale

Select Content Type

• Choose what format you'd prefer
• Examples: Book Chapter, Book/eBook, Journal Article, Magazine Article, Streaming Video, Web Resources, ...

Besides searching for materials on Arab American identities, cultures, and experiences you may also be interested in looking for books, articles, films and other kinds of resources related to some of the major themes the authors in Hadha Baladuna touched on. In a teaching workshop on this year's Community Read, Dr. Wessam Elmeligi grouped the various chapters of the collection under these main themes: 

Family Origins and Migration 

• "An Atlas" 
• "Watan" 
• "In Retrospect" 
• "Apokaluptein"

Bringing Home Here

• "Baghdad in Detroit"
• "Alifabet Soup"

Search & Journey 

• "Word Man"
• "American Road Trip"
• "Urban Nomad"

The City 

• "Thinking Detroit"
• "Notes on a Dearborn"
• "My Dearborn"

Belonging

• "On the Margins" 
• "Not Arab Enough" 

Your librarians are here to help! Contact Anne Dempsey, Student Engagement Librarian, or your subject librarian with help navigating the libraries resources or finding more books, article, films, etc that could be paired with Hadha Baladuna.

TRAAP is a simple acronym that can be used as a tool for evaluating information and determining if you're heading toward a research trap. Each letter in TRAAP represents a criteria by which to measure the reliability and appropriateness of sources.

Timeliness: The currency of the information 

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has it been updated?
• Do you need the most current, up-to-date information on your topic?

Relevance: The information meets your assignment needs 

• Does the source meet your assignment requirements?
• Does the information directly relate to your topic?
• Does it help you answer questions?
• Have you looked at other sources to find the best one?

Authority: The source of the information 

• Who is the author or publisher?
• Are they qualified to write about this area?
• If it's a website, what does the URL say about the source, i.e. .com .edu .gov .org?

Accuracy: The reliability and correctness of the information 

• Is the information supported by citations or other evidence?
• Can you verify the information with another source?
• Is the author or publisher biased or unbiased? 

Purpose: The reason the information exists

• What is the purpose of the information? To inform, sell, persuade, or entertain?
• Is the information given a fact or an opinion?