Course Research Guide
COMP 100: Composition

Professor Maples, Spring 2008

Finding Books in Milne Library | Finding Books in Other Libraries | Finding Information on Issues | Finding Periodical Articles |
 Finding a Copy of a Periodical Article


Finding Books in Milne Library

On the library web site, enter search terms in the box under Find Books & Media in the Library (Search the Catalog). Truncate or shorten terms using the *, if you are uncertain of the spelling, or if searching for variations of a word. For example, child* will find child, childish, children, children.

 

In any list of results, the number of items owned by the library will be followed by the number of items in circulation. A zero indicates that the item is not in circulation and should be on the shelf. A number following the slash indicates the number of items in circulation.

 
For example: 2/0 (two items available and on shelf)
1/1 (one item available and in circulation)
 

Note the call number for the item and consult Library Floor Plans to determine the location of the item.

 

Finding Books in Other Libraries

Worldcat is an online database listing materials in U.S. libraries and selected libraries throughout the world. Holdings are indicated for Milne Library, and the Stevens-German Library at Hartwick College. You can search by author, title, subject, and keyword. You can request items needed on ILLiad - Interlibrary Loan, 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.


Finding Information on Issues

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 Periodical Articles

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.

 

Advanced Search
Note: Find articles from many databases in a single search. For more complete results find a specific database by Name or by Subject.


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.
 
 

GENERAL

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, 1851-2003
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.

 

SUBJECT

 
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.

Finding a Copy of a Periodical Article

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.
You can also determine whether a periodical is available electronically by entering the periodical title in the search box on the library home page under Find Journals Available Electronically (Serials Solutions) and pressing Enter or Go. 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.
 
Locating the article in print or microfilm, if unavailable in electronic form:
Click on Search the SUNY Oneonta Catalog under "Additional Options for Finding Full Text." Type the title of the periodical in the search box above the phrase "Exact Title." Press "Go." If the title is listed, click on "Availability" and check to see if the volume needed is included in the "Summary Holdings." Note the location of the periodical title. Most periodicals will be in B2.
 
Requesting an article on Interlibrary Loan:
If you find an article from a periodical that is not available at Milne Library in any form, you can request the article through ILLiad - Interlibrary Loan through a link on the record for the article needed (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.

Mary Lynn Bensen (bensenml@oneonta.edu) & Kay Benjamin (benjamkd@oneonta.edu)
Reference Librarians
Milne Library, SUNY College at Oneonta
Last revised April 2008