Research Guide

French 282: Culture et Civilisation Françaises Contemporaines

Prof. Fregnac-Clave, Winter 2006

Guide prepared by Yolanda Merrill, Humanities Librarian

 

Sample topic: Children of Maghrebian Immigrants in France (1950-now)

 

How to Research a Topic. Identifies the steps of the research process.

Background information: in encyclopedias, dictionairies, handbooks, websites, statistics, etc.

       --> Reference Shelf for online sources

       --> Annie for print sources

Brainstorming: write down a list of keywords that apply to your topic.

--> Maghreb*, Algeria*, Tunesia*, Morocc*, North Africa*, immigrati*, child*, youth, arab*, education*, school*, discriminat*, racis*, assimilat*, religio*, muslim, Islam, beur*, etc.

From Argot - French Slang

	Arabe ... a ra beu... beu ra a... beura... beur
Verlan was invented as a secret language, a way for people (notably youths, drug users, and criminals) to communicate freely in front of authority figures (parents, police). Because much of verlan has become incorporated into French, verlan continues to evolve - sometimes words are "re-verlaned." Beur , commonly heard in the 1980's, has been reversed again to reub . Keuf has been re-verlaned to feuk , with a bonus - it now resembles a vulgar word in English.

 

Research:

search example: immigra* and (french or france) and (child* or youth)

Books --> Annie and WorldCat

Articles --> Online Databases

Websites --> Google France (maghreb immigration enfants france)

 

Corrector program: MS Word's "Grammar Check" is available in the TMC for student use.

Grammar program: realfrench.net