Grace Hauenstein Library  
   

Research Tips
 
Searching and Writing tips Citing Your Sources Glossary of Library Terms (pdf)
Primary & Secondary Sources Getting Started Plagiarism/Academic Integrity
Scholarly vs Non Scholarly Evaluating Web Sites (pdf)  
 
Getting Started
Select a Topic CQ Researcher | Global Issues in Context
Find Background information Britannica Online | Encyclopedias (in the Reference Department)
Find Books TomCat | MelCat | WorldCat
Find Journal Articles Expanded Academic ASAP | ProQuest | WilsonSelectPlus
Find Newspaper Articles LexisNexis Academic
 
General Research Tips
  1. Work from the general to the specific. Find background information first, then use more specific and recent sources. (The Grace Hauenstein Library reference collection offers specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and similar books to help you find background information.)
  2. Record what you find and where you found it. Write out a complete citation for each source you find; you may need it again later.
  3. Translate your topic into the subject language of the indexes and catalogs you use. Check your topic words against a thesaurus or subject heading list.
  4. Need help clarifying your topic? Need ideas about where to look next? Want to be sure you're using a reference source effectively? Ask for help at the reference desk!
 
Citation Styles
Information on the web also needs to be cited in your work in a way that allows others to go directly to the source themselves.
 
Grace Hauenstein Library Handouts (pdf)
MLA for Paper Sources MLA for Electronic Sources APA for Print and Electronic Sources
 
Online Citation Help
 
Online Citation Builders
Beware - Errors in formatting may occur when using these tools. It is up to you to check the accuracy of your citations.