Tips for Finding Resources
Below is a listing of some common information needs with tips on where and how to locate them.
Need |
Source |
Search Tip |
Comment |
Videos Related to Search |
| Background information on a topic. Overview of a topic. History of a topic. |
Subject encyclopedia |
In the Library Catalog, limit your search to the reference collection. Perform a search using the subject you are interested in and encyclopedia. For example in a search for the history of the pacemaker, type medicine and encyclopedia. The electronic database Credo Reference provides access to numerous reference works. These are available online and in full text. The electronic database Gale Virtual Reference also provides you access to multiple reference works. These are available online and in full text. |
There are more encyclopedias than World Book and Encarta. Subject encyclopedias offer detailed content on a vast array of topics. | |
| In-depth look at a topic | Book |
The Library Catalog searches the physical collection of the Mundt Library including books and e-books. Google Books searches the full text of millions of books. Assorted chapters and some complete books will be available online. |
Often you will not read an entire book while doing research. To find the portions of the book focused on your topic use the Table of Contents and Index. | |
| Information on a controversial topic. Pros/Cons of an issue. |
There are several databases that provide good starting points for information on persuasive issues. Opposing Viewpoints offers the pros and cons of an issue. Along with viewpoints this database also provides full text access to reference works, magazines, academic journals, newspapers, primary sources, statistics, multimedia, and web sources. CQ Researcher offers a full report on contemporary issues. The reports include an introduction, background, outlook, pro/con, maps/graphs, chronology and bibliography. |
When preparing a persuasive or argumentative paper or speech you will often use statistics and testimonial to highlight your points. | ||
| Current research. Empirical study. |
Journal article | There are journals written in all disciplines. These journals are contained within the periodical databases which the library subscribes to. In order to discover which databases contain sources on your topic, use the Research Databases by Subject link. | Research articles from journals are one of the most highly utilized resource when conducting research for course assignments. | |
| Statistics | Statistical Websites and Databases |
There are an assortment of websites that offer statistics. Links can be found on a page created by the library here. Many government sites also provide statistics. Some examples include: the U.S. Census, Department of Education, and Federal Bureau of Investigations. |
Statistics can be found in numerous resources. They are often provided just as numbers without discussion. Sometimes to takes a bit of time to understand what the data tables are saying. | |
| Images |
Online Image Databases |
There are several online resources to find images. Some of these include Google Images and Flickr. The library offers a couple of databases centered on images. CAMIO -- Offers art images that are rights-cleared for educational use; read CAMIO's "Terms of Use" for more information about allowed educational uses. Includes about 95,000 art images --photographs, paintings, sculpture, decorative and utilitarian objects, prints, drawings and watercolors, jewelry and costumes, textiles and architecture -- plus audio, video and mixed media. U.S. Government Photos and Images -- Some of these photos and images are U.S. Government Works or in the public domain and may be used and reproduced without permission or fee. However, some images may be protected by license or copyright. You should read the disclaimers on each site before using these images. |
When using images you should try to determine their copyright status. Try the advanced search in Google and Flickr to limit your results. |
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