COMP 100: Composition Research Guide, Fall 2009
Professor Maples; Reference Librarian - Kay Benjamin (benjamkd@oneonta.edu)
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Finding Reliable Web Sources
- Search Engines: Search engines create their listings using automated software without evaluating the contents: Google and bing
- Subject Directories: Humans select, sometimes evaluate, and organize (by subject) the listings in a directory. Use a directory to browse and to find the "best" sites on a general or popular topic: Librarian's Index to the Internet and Intute
- Wikipedia: Don't use an article from Wikipedia in your bibligraphy. However, a wikipedia article can be a useful place to get background information and an overview on a topic. The references and links at the bottom of the article often list reliable resources you can use.
Searching tips:
- Use the advanced search feature in a search engine to create a better search: Google (Advanced Search)
- For detailed help, see Google Advanced Search Made Easy
- Limit a search to .edu and .gov sites for best quality
- To do this add site:edu or site:gov to your search. EXAMPLE: college students volunteering site:edu
- Limit the search to the TITLE of the page to get more targeted results.
- To do this add allintitle: in front of your search terms. EXAMPLE: allintitle: organic foods nutrition
- Evaluation tips:
- Use the following checklist as a guide to help you determine the value and validity of all the sources you find as you do your research.
- Evaluating Information - Applying the CRAAP Test (California State University at Chico)
Finding Books in Milne Library
- On the library web site, enter search terms in the box under the tab Find Books & Media.
- You can search by author, title, subject, and keyword.
- In any list of results, the number of items owned by the library will be followed by the number of items in circulation. (1 owned / 0 out). The Is it here? link to the far right provides more detail about the status of the item.
- Note the call number for the item and consult Library Floor Plans to determine the location of the item.
- For more information about any item, click on the title in the results list.
- To check a something out, take the item(s) to the Circulation Desk on the 1st floor across from the main front doors, and present your Oneonta ID.
Finding Books in Other Libraries
WorldCat is an online database listing materials in U.S. libraries and selected libraries throughout the world. Books owned by Milne Library and Hartwick College library are included. You can request items needed on MyILLiad Logon, for which a link is provided on the record for each item. You can also check out items at Hartwick College with your SUNY Oneonta ID card.
- CQ Researcher
- Includes substantial overviews of timely topics accompanied by history, tables, bibliographies, and notes.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library
- A collection of full-text electronic reference books covering many subject areas. The print versions of many of these are in the reference collection. They can be searched by keyword, a word in the title, source, subject, image caption, full text, and audience. Good for background or overview of topics. Most entries include a bibliography.
- Opposing Viewpoints
- Includes articles and topic overviews in full text.
- Public Agenda Online
- Web site that includes both in-depth analyses and opinion studies for major policy issues.
Finding Information on Issues
Finding Periodical Articles
- All of the following databases are linked from the library home page under "Find Databases & Articles | Databases by Name (A-Z)." For best results use the Advanced Search features of any database.
- Academic Search Premier
- Provides full text for selected scholarly journals and popular magazines across the disciplines.
- JSTOR archive
- Provides access to the full text of journals in many subject areas. There is no coverage for the last 3-5 years.
- LEXIS-NEXIS
- Includes full text from state, national, and international news sources, but generally without illustrations. Also provides full text from selected legal, medical, and business sources.
- New York Times Archive, 1851-2005
- Includes full-text of this major national newspaper.
- Project Muse
- Provides full text of journal articles in the social sciences and humanities.
- Reader's Guide Retrospective 1890-1982
- Index to popular periodicals, many of which are in Milne Library's collection.
- Business Source Premier
- Provides full text of scholarly journals in business.
- Communication & Mass Media Complete
- Includes selected full text covering many aspects of communication.
- Gender Watch
- Provides full text of journals, newsletters and research reports on women.
- General Science Collection
- Full text coverage of 60 full text popular science publications from 1992 to the present.
- Health and Wellness Resource Center
- Indexes periodicals, pamphlets, and reference books in the health sciences, with some full text available.
- Professional Development Collection
- Includes full text for articles in education journals.
- PsycINFO
- Comprehensive coverage of the scholarship in psychology. Companion database PsycARTICLES provides full text of articles in American Psychological Association publications from 1998 to the present.
Periodicals are publications that come out on a regular, or periodic, basis. Examples include newspapers, magazines, and journals. Scholarly, or peer-reviewed, periodicals are appropriate for more serious research, while magazines, or popular, periodicals are intended for entertainment or information for general audiences. See this Scholarly Journals v. Popular Magazine Articles handout to understand all the differences.
CENTRAL SEARCH
Central Search lets you search for articles in more than one database at a time. By doing this you can discover which databases are the best for your particular topic. Central Search doesn't let you use the more advanced and sophisticated features that each individual database offers, but it can be a good starting place. You can select which specific databases you'd like to search by going to Central Search using this link.
GENERAL
SUBJECT
Finding a Copy of a Periodical Article
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Locating the full text of the article in electronic form:
- If there is no full text with the citation for an article, click on Find It! If a full text of the article is available in another database, there will be a link connecting you to that database, where you can locate the article in the appropriate volume, or search for the article by title or author.
- To discover whether an article is available in one of the library databases, use the search box under the tab Find Journals on the library home page. If the title is available in electronic form, check the coverage, and click on the database link(s) and search for the item(s) needed.
- Requesting an article on Interlibrary Loan:
- If you find an article that is not online in a database, or is not available in the library, you can request the article through
ILLiad - Interlibrary Loan through a link on the record for the article (see computer screen that comes up after you click on Find It!). Click on ILLiad Interlibrary Loan Request Form. You need to be registered to submit ILL requests. See a librarian for help.
- Contact Kay Benjamin: 436-2791 or benjamkd@oneonta.edu
- Contact the Milne Library Reference & Information Desk: 436-2722 or libweb@oneonta.edu
- Use Ask Us 24/7 for help with questions that don't involve extensive research.
- This guide can be found online at http://www.oneonta.edu/library/courseguides/fall2009/comp100maples.asp