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Library Research

Why am I here?

Bottom line: You'll learn how to become a better researcher.

Three important things you will learn today:

1. How to find and use the Undergrad web page.
2. How to get started with academic research.
3. Where to get help.

Starting your research

You've done this before...

• What have you done in the past?
• Where do *YOU* begin your research?
• Why?

About the library

Quick facts about the University of Illinois Library :

1. Is one of the largest academic libraries in North America.
2. Has over 10,000,000 volumes.
3. Is really over 30 individual libraries.
4. Is loaded with information.
5. Can be very confusing to use!

The Undergraduate Library :

1. Is designed with YOUR needs as an undergraduate student in mind.
2. The Undergrad's website provides YOU with lots of useful information as you begin academic research.
3. Provides YOU with lots of help, both physical and virtual: Ask-A-Librarian, Librarians' Office Hours

Creating a Search Strategy

• Successful research needs a plan.
• You need to choose a topic.
• You need to develop a search strategy for your topic.
• Create a concept map of your topic to help you think about the various keywords that describe your and see how they relate to each other.

Information Gathering

• Reference sources and resources are great for providing you with background information as you get started.
• How about Wikipedia?

Database Searching

• What's the difference between Google and a library database?
• Using the Find Articles Guide.
  Resources are listed by subject in a recommended order for use.
  Great starting place when looking for information in a particular discipline or subject area, especially when you don't have a clue where to start!
• What is Easy Articles?
  Searches more than one database and web resource simultaneously.
  A quick way to discover where information about your topic may be found.
  Provides direct links to databases searched.
• Using databases: General rules of thumb
  Note database name vs. provider name.
  Use navigation provided by databases.
  Look for common features when moving from one database to another.
  Look for help guides on the Find Articles page.

Evaluating your results

• Note the results from your Easy Articles search. Compare the results from Academic Search Premier to those from Google.
  How do they compare?
  Are you more likely to use some of your results than others in your paper? Why?

Guides for evaluating your results

• Is it scholarly? Provides general information on characteristics of scholarly sources and links to evaluating various kinds of information.
• Is it scholarly? Determining periodical types points out the differences between scholarly journals, professional/trade periodicals and popular magazines.
• Is it scholarly? Determining periodical types online provides guidelines to help you determine if an online full-text article is scholarly.
• Evaluating Internet sources helps you determine credibility and academic value of web pages .
• Why would you use a scholarly source?
• What can it add to your paper?

Other helpful information

• Cite your sources Online citation guides to APA and MLA styles.
• Annotate a bibliography Tips on annotating your bibliography.
• Use RefWorks Guides to using RefWorks citation managment software.
• Avoid plagiarism Tips to help you avoid plagiarism as you write your paper.

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For comments on this page contact: Undergraduate Library

Last modified by: Logan Moore on 1/28/09