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Please see our Glossary for definitions of common library terms.
Reference Sources (Background)
Begin your library research by reading summary discussions on your topic. General and specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks in the reference collection may provide information on your topic or some aspect of it.
General Reference Works:
Britannica Online
Oxford Reference Online
Examples of Other Reference Works :
Immigration in America Today: An Encyclopedia (2006)
Ref JV6465 .I4754 2006 Science, Religion, and Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Controversy (2007)
Ref BL240.3 .S37 2007 Weapons of Mass Destruction (2006)
Ref U973 .D38 2006
You can locate other general and subject-related encyclopedias and dictionaries through MaconCat by searching under the subject and adding the word "encyclopedias." Many Dictionaries & Thesauri and Encyclopedias & Almanacs are also available online.
Locating Books
MaconCat
The library's online catalog, providing access to books, journals, music, and movies in the library. Books in the library are arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification system, which is different from the Dewey Decimal system you probably used in high school.
WorldCat
A catalog of books, music, movies, and other materials in libraries worldwide.
Books and articles not owned by our library can be obtained from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan. Allow sufficient time for processing. Average turnaround time is 3-5 days for articles and 3-14 days for books, excluding holidays and weekends. Submit ILL requests well in advance of deadlines.
Locating Articles (Databases & Indexes)
Before you begin looking for articles, make sure you know if you want scholarly or popular sources.
Expanded Academic ASAP/Academic OneFile (1980 to present, some full-text)
Includes articles from popular magazines and scholarly journals in all disciplines. For tips on using this database, see How to Use Expanded Academic ASAP.
OmniFile Full Text Mega (1984 to present, some full-text)
Includes articles from scholarly and popular sources in all disciplines. Be sure to select a subject area at the bottom of the search screen to get the most relevant results. For tips on using this database, see Using OmniFile Full Text Mega.
LexisNexis Academic (dates vary by publication, full text)
Provides access to newspapers, newswires, transcripts, and business and legal information. It is an excellent source for full-text newspaper articles. Be sure to click on "News" in the red bar at the top of the screen.
Salon and Slate
These are two of the most well-known online-only news magazines.
Once you know which articles you are looking for, they will be available in at least one of five places: current periodicals, bound journals, microfilm, microfiche, or online. Search the Journals A-Z to see if they are online or in the library. See How to Find a Periodical Article or ask a librarian if you need help.
Other Resources
Here are a few other places you may want to look for information on your topic.
Google Blog Search
Search blog entries on the web.
Google Video, Yahoo! Video
Use these sites to find videos on the web, including those on YouTube.
Librarians' Internet Index
Features thousands of librarian-selected websites on all topics.
National Public Radio
Search for and listen to news and other radio broadcasts from 1996 to present.
Organizations, Associations, & Government Agencies (R-MC)
USA.gov
The U.S. government's official web portal. Use it to find legislative committees, national statistics, and other information on the Federal level. It also links to state government information.
Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Sources (R-MC)
Criteria to consider and questions to ask about the print and internet sources you find.
Is it POPULAR or is it SCHOLARLY? (R-MC)
Critical Evaluation of Resources on the Internet (University of Alberta Libraries)
Internet Detective (Virtual Training Suite)
An interactive tutorial with tips and techniques for doing research on the internet.
Citing Sources
Guides to the major citation styles are available at the Reference Desk.
Citing Full-Text from Library Databases (R-MC)
Citing in MLA, APA, and Chicago Styles (R-MC)
Citation Styles Online! (Bedford St. Martin's)
Includes examples of citations of various online sources in MLA, APA, Chicago, and other styles.
KnightCite (Calvin College)
Automatically formats citation information according to MLA, APA, or Chicago styles. Be sure to double-check the result for accuracy!