library resources and research strategies for English Composition II

1. Clayton State Library Resources
Research as Inquiry
Searching as Strategic Exploration
English 1102

2. Clayton State Library Homepage
www.clayton.edu/library

3. LibGuides - Pathfinders and resources for you!
 LibGuides INCLUDE:
 Tutorials-- “how to” guides
 Suggested resources
 Detailed guides about
 eBooks, multimedia, etc.
 Research databases
 Quality websites
 Quick help boxes

4. Boolean Operators
 AND = narrow
 OR = expand
 NOT = exclude
women AND hypertension
hypertension OR
“high blood pressure”
dolphins NOT football
AND is automatically used by Google and other search engines to
combine terms

5. Topics and Research- A circular process!
 People think: Define topic-Implement search-Get results
 Reality: Circular continuous process: Evaluate results and implement
new search terms until satisfied with the results of the search.
Source: Erin Nagel Clayton State University

7. Searching strategies
 Keywords and keyword phrases
 Connected with Boolean operators (AND OR NOT)
 Brainstorm alternative terms, synonyms
 Thesaurus
 Index tools such as subjects or descriptors
 Controlled vocabulary
 Subject Headings example: (Library of Congress)
 Advanced Search Techniques
 Truncation motivat* motivating, motivation motivator
 Proximity operators (tax OR tariff) N5 reform
 Wildcards ? ne?t neat nest next
 Wildcards # colo#r color colour

8. Searching in the Catalog
gilfind.clayton.edu

9. Tweak my results- Subject

10. Details of a book record in the catalog
Virtual browse feature

11. Off Campus access to Electronic Resources
URL: http://clayton.libguides.com/offcampus

12. Is it Scholarly, Popular, or Trade?
Journals Magazines Trade Publications
American Sociological
Review, Journal of Physical
Chemistry, Child Development
Newsweek, Ebony, Sports
Illustrated, Vogue
Aviation Today, Chronicle of
Higher Education,
Construction Today
Always provides name of
author(s).
Author may or may not be
provided.
Author may or may not be
provided.
Scholarly information-
a) Primary Source-Unique
research
b) Secondary Source-historical
review of literature
Popular information Limited to industry/trade
information- (i.e. airlines,
construction, accounting)
For
researchers/professors to
stay current on a topic.
For casual readers
seeking general
information.
For practitioners, includes
technical terms for that
career field.
Illustrations include
charts, graphics to
support article
May include bright covers
and advertising.
Glossy covers and pages
Longer articles, footnotes.
Bibliographies.
Short articles. Advertising geared for the
industry or business.

13. Database: An electronic collection of information indexed and made searchable for
easy retrieval
Scope: The range of subjects or fields covered in the database.
Content: The information records included in the database, e.g., citations, full-text
articles, reports, legal briefs, reports, full-text books, images
Special features: Tools and features that distinguish this database from others, or
help locate better results on the topic. (e.g., limiters, search options, thesaurus)
Gale Virtual Reference
Library
(one example of a large
eBook collection of
reference resources.
Scope (Subjects? or
Topics?)
Multi-disciplinary or
Specialized Focused
subjects
Content-Reference books-(Quick look
up information) Includes images to
support the text of the book chapters
and sections
Options to search by collection, create a
custom bookmark and to add notes when
you create an account.
Academic Search
Complete (one example
of a GALILEO database
resource)
Scope (Subjects? or
Topics?)
Multi-disciplinary or
Specialized Focused
subjects
Content (articles, reports, magazines,
images, etc.) Available html or pdf full
text; Linked full text; Abstracts
Special Features-thesaurus, index. Medical
terms, legal terms, names.
Take a moment to look at
the features in the GALILEO
resource that you use!
The database may cover
lots of topics or it may be
focused on one subject
discipline
Do you need journal articles, reports,
images, or conference proceedings?
Look for the choices provided in the
database.
Here are tools to help you build a search with
alternative keywords or targeted subject
terms or phrases.

14. Using the Thesaurus to refine the search
Boolean search Boolean + subject thesaurus

15. Quality of Selected Resources
 Evaluating Information is Essential!
 Establish validity, reliability, credibility, authorship, and integrity.
 Authority
 Who is the author, curator, publisher?
 Accuracy
 How reliable is the information provided?
 Objectivity
 What is the purpose of the resource?
 Currency
 How up-to-date is the resource?
 Coverage
 Does the resource contain information relevant to your topic?

16. AVOIDING PLAGIARISM*
When researching, try using notecards to identify your sources:
 Q [Quote]-use this to mark someone else’s words
 ME-use this for your own ideas
 S [Source]-use this for ideas taken from other sources
 “Common knowledge”-Ask yourself “Can I find the information in numerous
sources? “…many people know the information?” Is it “..in a general
resource, like a dictionary?”**
 When in doubt, ALWAYS CITE your sources!!
Sources The MLA Style Center Writing Resources from the Modern Language Association.
Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty https://style.mla.org/plagiarism-and-academic-dishonesty/
*The Purdue OWL Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue University,
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/3/
**The University of North Carolina Libraries. Identifying Plagiarism Tutorial
http://guides.lib.unc.edu/plagiarism/purpose

17. How Much Do you Know About
Plagiarism?
 Plagiarism Tutorial-University of Southern Mississippi. Includes pre- and post-
tests and quizzes to check your progress.
 Is it Plagiarism Yet?-Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) has tutorials,
exercises, examples, and guides.
 You Quote It, You Note It! A funny 10 minute tutorial by the Vaughan Memorial
Library of Acadia University.

18. Current Hot Topics – Online Resources
 Issues & Controversies – explores crucial issues and hot topics in business,
politics, government education, and popular culture.
 CQ Research Plus Archive – reports and news on current issues. Includes
overview, background, pro/con section on aspect of topics including a
bibliography.
 Academic Search Complete-multi-disciplinary and current
 Research Library –multi-disciplinary and current

19. Other Suggestions for Specialized Subject Research
 Business Source Complete
 Environment Complete
 Health Management Database
 Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection
 Science & Technology Collection
 Social Science Database

20. Annotated Bibliography-
A brief explanatory or evaluative
note added to each reference or
citation.