1) All my research papers involve the same fundamental process: I collect information, organize my ideas, and write. To accomplish this I start my research on any subject with Syracuse Library “Summons”…my favorite…It’s one of the few bookmarks on my computer. It puts an initial “Search articles, books and other resources” at the tip of your fingers.
If it’s a topic that I’m not particularly familiar with I will then start with tertiary sources since they are the most general. Tertiary sources are encyclopedias, atlases, or other reference books (not Wikipedia 😊). These sources can give me basic background information, help me with keywords for additional research, and direct me to further sources. Since this information is very broad, tertiary sources are my starting point.
In my search engine, I typically start with filters, (if I’m not planning to be on campus)- full text online, peer reviewed (it’s my science background – we love peer reviewed), and then publication dates (usually within the last 5 years but I can be flexible depending on the topic). I may play with subject terms and area of study.
I may then move into an advanced search. If this leads me to results that I don’t want, then I can “exclude” certain results from a further search.
Interestingly, I sometimes put my search into “google” or “bing”. I can come up with results that were not initially in my Syracuse University search. Here’s a pro tip… put those results into Summons and you can have access to the information (which many times you are unable to – just with an internet search engine).
Another pro tip…our Syracuse University tuition pays for librarians and they’ll even “Live Chat” or email you back. I was frustrated late one weekend and they came to my rescue (and at a late time). I even see a text number although I haven’t tried that yet.
2) As far as my research, I am intrigued by the concept of hiring individuals with disabilities and at what point should the disability be disclosed. Will this disclosure cause stigmatized populations to be discriminated against (even if it’s never obvious to the individual)? I think disclosing of disabilities to a potential employer is a really important topic in organizational culture so I’m going to explain this foundational idea of pre-employment disclosure and the effect on hiring of individuals with disabilities.
We know from the articles we’ve read and the expanding the canon research our classmates have done that the employment participation of people with disabilities is still lags when compared to their non-disabled, and comparably educated, counterparts.
A main reason for the underemployment of individuals with disabilities is that employers often hold negative views about the work-related abilities of these individuals. What I’m interested in researching is an analysis of where in the employment relationship these negative views appear, and whether a disabled individual should disclose pre-employment of a disability. I’m referring to so-called invisible disabilities. Those struggling with invisible disabilities should be comfortable sharing information about their disability with their employer as well as requesting accommodation. Unfortunately, that is not always the situation. The question of whether or not to inform employers as well as when to inform them is an interesting question.
The issue of invisible disabilities is becoming more common in the workplace. Invisible disabilities (as described by the Invisible Disabilities Association) indicates symptoms such as “debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunctions, brain injuries, learning differences and mental health disorders, as well as hearing and vision impairments.” Sometimes employees are undecided about disclosing their invisible disability to their employer or coworkers. In addition to not disclosing this during an interview, this lack of transparency means that accommodations for disabilities may not be requested or made. Accommodations made in the workplace for invisible disabilities can include flexible schedule, special software for assisting with scheduling or prioritizing tasks, or architectural changes such as a standing desk.
I plan to have my research include both primary and secondary resources. This may be a challenging topic to find research on but it is one that is of personal interest to me. I hope to find the viewpoints of both the employee and the employer. I hypothesize finding employers that will truthfully answer questions (particularly about pre-employment prejudice) might be a challenge. I will try to speak with agencies that help disabled people find employment.
Hi Edward,
Thank you for sharing your research process and pro tips! I think your topic is interesting and important. In a way, I think discrimination based on disabilities has been overshadowed by other types of discrimination so I’m glad you are focusing on that, especially the invisible kind. You note that disclosing this kind of disability is a challenge for some people, and I can imagine how that would affect their performance not only in interview situations but eventually on the job too. Think about how much attention Elon Musk got when he said he had Asperger’s syndrome during his Saturday Night Live appearance. Perhaps people like him can be role models by disclosing their conditions and struggles, opening the door for more acceptance and understanding. I hope you find some firsthand stories. If I have ideas that can help, I will send them your way.
Hi Ed,
I really enjoyed hearing all of your research tips! I also think it makes research way easier when you can search for an article on google and then enter the full title on the Syracuse library database to access the entire thing. I also found it interesting that you use a bunch of filters and I think I should play around more with those to reduce my research time. I really like the topic you chose for you research, I know I haven’t given this a thought so its nice that I got to hear about the disclosure of invisible disabilities. I cant wait to see your work !
Hi Edward,
What an interesting topic! I hadn’t recently thought about invisible disabilities as a specific group of disorders and how receiving accommodations could be challenging. I think this is a really important issue to dig into. As a union rep, I had a member once, who was saying some very disrespectful things to his supervisor in a very aggressive tone. It seemed out of character for him. Normally he was very mild mannered. He disclosed to me that sometimes he had terrible headaches resulting from a head injury. I soon understood his behavior. My own mother had also experienced a head injury and sometimes her personality would change. Once he revealed his medical condition I realized how I could help him. I advised him to get documentation from his doctor and submit it to HR immediately. He refused. I explained that his job could be in jeopardy if it happened again without medical documentation on file. He felt he would be pegged a certain way if he did that. Ultimately he left rather than disclose his condition. Especially now, since so many people are suffering from (invisible) mental health conditions for example, this is truly a timely topic. I look forward to finding out more!
Sherri,
Thank you for that example. It is exactly what I’ve been reading about as far as invisible disabilities. I actually learned a new term- “job-lock”. This is when Worry and insecurity about a future employer’s attitude may lead to “job lock” for persons with an invisible disability, resulting in them remaining with their present employer (regardless of whether the employer knows about the disability).
Thanks for sharing this example, Sherri. I’ve encountered this with students before, as well–people who suffer a concussion or traumatic brain injury mid-semester, and struggle with getting accommodations (short-term and long-term). Often, unless someone’s medical providers nudge them to think about brain injury as a form of disability, they don’t view it as such, and don’t even think to initiate the process whereby they might receive accommodations (let alone know where and how to begin that process).
You’ve plotted an ambitious and interesting path here, Ed. Thanks for sharing your firsthand experiences with SU Libraries’ resources, and especially for the shout-out for librarian services. They’re FREE, and it’s literally THEIR JOB to help you!!