Course Research Guide
COMP 100: Composition
Spring 2008 - Stephen Rice
Finding Books in Milne Library
- For example: Gree* myth* for Greek/Greece myth(s), mythology(ies)
- stem cell* research for stem cell(s) research
- The Search function allows you to locate materials by using either keywords or phrases. You may search fields such as author, title, subject or all fields. An all fields search is useful if you do not know the exact author, title or subject.
For example:
montessori method (finds materials with these words almost anywhere in the record)
educat* (finds educate, education, educating)
climate change and united states
global warming and causes
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)
On the library web site, enter search terms in the box under Find Books & Media. Truncate or shorten terms using an *, if you are uncertain of the spelling, or if searching for variations of a word, such as myth(s), mythology(ies), mythical. Press Enter or click on Go.
An “All Fields” search will bring up a list of items that might not all be on your topic. For example, if you enter “music” in the search box, your results will include items with “music” anywhere in the record for the item, which could be in the title, author, publication information, contents notes, or subject headings. To limit your search by author, title, or Library of Congress subject heading (if known), you can use the drop-down menu next to the search box and choose the appropriate field.
Note the call number for the item and click on College at Oneonta to determine the floor on which the item is located or consult Library Floor Plans for specific location.
If you do not find the item on the shelf, ask at the Circulation Desk to see if the book has been checked in and is waiting to be shelved. If still not available, complete a “Search” card for the item. A staff member will look for the item and notify you of the results. Items in circulation can be requested on interlibrary loan from another library.
- For more information about any item, click on the title in the results list. To limit the list to those items more specifically about your topic, click on the headings after subject at the bottom of the record for the item. The resulting list should have fewer, but more relevant, items.
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Books with no call numbers indicate items that are on order, in process, or part of an electronic book collection. Ask a librarian for help.
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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 via 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.
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Finding Information on Issues
- Reference Resources
- A good way to begin research is to get an overview of your topic. Subject-specific encyclopedias and dictionaries give background information, clarify definitions, and often include bibliographies at the end of an article. Here are some examples of books in the Milne Reference Area:
- Education
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The Yearbook of Education Law REF LB 2514.Y4 Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration REF LB 2805.E527 2006 Encyclopedia of Education and Human Development REF LB 15.E473 2005
Environmental Issues-
Conservation and Environmentalism REF GE 10.C68 1995 Encyclopedia of Biodiversity REF QH 541.15.B56 E53 2001 Encyclopedia of Energy Technology and the Environment REF TJ 163.235 E53 1995 Encyclopedia of Environmental Biology REF QH 540.4 E52 1995 Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering REF TD9.E5 1992 The Encyclopedia of the Environment REF GE 10.E53 1994 The Green Encyclopedia REF GE 10.F73 1992 Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Environmental Issues REF H35.T32 ENV
General Information Sources
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
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GENERAL DATABASES
- The following databases are not focused on any one topic area, but provide indexing and access to articles across topics and disciplines. Often these are good places to begin your research, but you may need to use the subject databases for more scholarly research projects.
All of the following databases are linked from the library home page under Articles & Databases, by selecting Databases by Name (A-Z).
- 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.
- The following databases contain indexing and access to articles which focus on a specific discipline, as each description explains. Use these databases for in-depth research on a topic.
Environment Complete- Over 1660 journals in agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, natural resources, geography, pollution and environmental law.
- General Science Collection
- Full text coverage of 60 full text popular science publications from 1992 to the present.
- Professional Development Collection
- Full text of about 500 education journals (about 350 are peer-reviewed). Includes full text of the Chronicle of Higher Education from 1999 to the present (with a one month delay).
- ERIC
- Educational Research Information Center. Available through EBSCO. Links to full text other databases.
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.
- You can also determine whether a periodical is available electronically by entering the periodical title in the search box under Find Journals and clicking on Search. 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 Check Library Catalog under "Additional Options for Finding Full Text." 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. Periodicals are arranged in alphabetical order by title on shelves or in microfilm drawers on library level B1.
- 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.
Modified by Pamela Flinton (pamela.flinton@oneonta.edu)
Original produced by Mary Lynn Bensen (bensenml@oneonta.edu) & Kay Benjamin (benjamkd@oneonta.edu),
Reference Librarians
Last revised February 2008