Library Research Strategies

Launching the Search

• A library research strategy should involve four steps, adaptable to individual needs.
• Conduct an initial search for relevant sources.
• Scan the library's reference section for electronic and printed resources like indexes, abstracts, bibliographies, and reference books as well as electronic databases like Academic Search Premier or InfoTrac.
• Preliminary searches help to show the availability of diverse source materials, provide reference citations, abstracts, and full-text articles, and define/restrict the research subject.
• Refining the topic allows for more time to read abstracts, articles, and book sections.
• Instructors expect citations from scholarly sources, including journal articles and books alongside online articles or field research.
• Computer workstations can be used to develop a working bibliography and read abstracts.
• Always read and take notes by examining various sources and create transcription notes from resources.
• Consulting with a librarian can help when having trouble finding sources.

Developing a Working Bibliography

• Because research papers involve many papers and notes, keeping organized is crucial, including saving every abstract, article, and downloaded file.
• A working bibliography serves to locate articles/books for notetaking and provides information for in-text citations.
• Storing entries in a computer file allows for their easy insertion into a "Works Cited" page.
• A final manuscript requires a "Works Cited" page with all sources used.
• Working bibliography entries should include author's name, work title, publication information, publication medium (Web/Print), access date (if web), and an optional note about the source's location or content.
• Example of a "Works Cited" entry for a book in MLA style: Dave Bry's "Public Apology", published by Grand Central in New York, 2013.

Using Library Resources

• Electronic networks provide library's resources that can be found through an electronic book catalog.
• A library's computerized catalog should include every book listed by subject, author, and title.
• Keyword searches provide lists of books for more information.
• Electronic book catalogs offer bibliographies of available books on a specific subject.
• College/public libraries expand holdings through networks.
• A librarian can request an interlibrary loan if a book is unavailable, periodical articles are mostly available online.
• Library bibliographies can supplement working bibliographies through reference guides, bibliographies, and indexes for electronic or print versions.
• Such guides, like "Bibliographic Index," list books related to a subject.
• "Constant Battles: The Myth of the Peaceful, Noble Savage" by Steven A. LeBlanc, New York: St. Martin’s, 2003, contains a bibliographic list on pages 247-264.

Using Trade Bibliographies

• Trade bibliographies are for use by booksellers/librarians.
• They can help discover sources unlisted elsewhere, locate publication facts (place and date),, and determine if a book is still in print.
• "Subject Guide to Books in Print" (New York: Bowker, 1957-date) can be consulted online or in print, use it for subject classifications.

Bibliographies

• Guides with reference works in print, online, and on the Internet are available.
• "Bibliographic Guide to Art and Architecture." Boston: Hall, 1977–date provides bibliographies on most topics in art and architecture.
• "Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC)" gives critical essays about novelists, poets, playwrights, and short story writers.
• "Voice of the Shuttle" links to major online resources related to literature, art, history, philosophy, and science.
• When in the stacks, look for bibliographies at the end of books and write down working bibliography titles and photocopy the list for reference.

Looking in Journals

• Bibliographies located at the end of scholarly journal articles can be useful.
• Students of history depend on English Historical Review, and students of literature can refer to Studies in Short Fiction.
• . If the research subject is “Adoption,” sources are located in a few key journals which makes annual index a shortcut.
• Indexes provide the exact page numbers for book sections and articles in magazines, journals, and newspapers.
• Online indexes contain abstracts and full texts of articles.

Indexes to Periodicals

• The library network offers access to electronic databases.
• AGRICOLA contains Agriculture, animal and plant sciences
• America: History and Life contains U.S. history
• CINAHL contains Nursing, public health, and allied health fields
• ERIC contains Education and mass communication
• GPO contains Government publications on all subjects
• HighWire contains Science, technology, and medicine
• JSTOR contains Social sciences
• Lexis Nexis contains News, business, law, medicine, reference
• MLA Bibliography contains Literature, linguistics, and folklore
• Music-Index contains Music
• Project MUSE contains Social sciences, arts, humanities
• PsycINFO contains Psychology, medicine, education, social work Westlaw Legal subjects, including laws and cases
• The databases above guide users to several sources, often providing an abstract with the full-text version of the article.