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Library Research Strategies

Learn how to navigate the information landscape, access resources, and find scholarly materials. Discover the different types of sources and formats available at BC Libraries.

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Library Research Strategies

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  1. Library Research Strategies PO 517: Liberalism, Democracy, & American Foreign Policy PO 522: International Institutions, Public & Private Prof. David Deese Michelle Baildon baildon@bc.edu http://www.bc.edu/libraries/services/ref-instruc/s-xbaildon/

  2. So What’s the Point? • Yes, to learn about Quest, databases, etc. • Yes, to learn how to find stuff for your papers • Most important: To get the big picture • What’s the information landscape? • What’s out there in the world? • What’s here at BC? • How do I find it? • Who can help me? • You’ll have a clue for the rest of your lives

  3. First, a Whirlwind Tour of the BC Libraries Web Site • Home page • Subject specialists • Research guides • Online databases • Quest • Electronic journals • How do I . . . ? • Tutorials

  4. What kind of source? Primary source Secondary source What kind of material? Books Journal articles Government documents Archival material Music Film Etc. etc. etc. etc. What format? Print Digital (online) Microfilm DVD CD Etc. etc. etc. etc. Not All Information Is Created Equal

  5. Different Information Is Kept in Different Places at BC • Books: Stacks, Off-site Storage (Kenny-Cottle, NEDL, Newton Resource Center), and Other Libraries • Reference Books: Reference Stacks, Reference Desk, Reference Index Area • Newspapers: Current Periodicals, Online, Microfilm • Journals: We’ll get to that later • Films, music recordings: Media Center • Government Documents: Guess where? Gov Docs • Archival material: Burns Library • Remember: The call number is key!!

  6. Different Tools Find Different Things • Catalogs: Everything a library holds • Union catalogs: Everything that many libraries hold (see WorldCat) • Indexes: Show you where to find specific articles • Take you down another level of specificity • Finding aids: Manuscripts and archival records • These all go by the alias “database”

  7. Using Quest • Basic search: Good for title, author, keyword • Use keyword to get LC subject heading • “Boolean logic” (a.k.a. “and” & “or”) • Advanced search: • Combine searches • Limit by language, format, library

  8. Using Quest (cont.) • Requesting checked-out books or in-process books • Create lists, save records • Other catalogs: Journal Titles; Course Reserves; WorldCat • Check Quest Help!

  9. Finding Journal Articles • What is a scholarly journal? • Contains articles by academics • Peer-reviewed • What formats are they in? • Some are in print • Some are online • Some are both

  10. Where are the journals? • Current Periodicals • Stacks • Offsite Storage • Microfilm • Online

  11. Finding Journal Articles: Tell Me How • Finding articles the old-fashioned way: • Step 1: Find your article in an index • Step 2: Find your journal in a catalog The crucial step in Quest: VIEW HOLDINGS • The miracle of full text and “FindIt” (Welcome to the 21st century) • If you know exactly what article you’re looking for, use Citation Linker on the Electronic Journals page

  12. Finding Journal Articles: Databases • Some databases are just indexes • Some are indexes with “FindIt” buttons and/or links to articles • PAIS International; Worldwide Political Science Abstracts • Some are indexes with “selected full text” • Expanded Academic ASAP • Some are collections of working papers, journal articles, etc. • CIAO; JSTOR • There are many more . . . Please see: • PO517 & 522 Guide to Resources • American Politics Research Guide • U.S. Foreign Policy Research Guide • Political Science Online Databases

  13. Finding Primary Sources • Print sources • Use Quest and WorldCat • Digitized sources • See Research Guides, Online Databases Page, Quest • Think critically about free Internet sources • Microfilm • Use Quest Advanced Search and limit to microfilm • Newspapers: See U.S. History Research Guide • Archival sources • Archival Resources, ArchivesUSA • In general: Check footnotes and bibliographies • For specific examples, see PO 517 & 522 Guide to Resources

  14. What if BC Doesn’t Have It? • How would you find something BC doesn’t have? • An index or database • WorldCat • Someone tells you about it, it’s in a bibliography, book review, etc., etc., etc. • How do you get it? • Interlibrary loan (ILL) • Boston Library Consortium (BLC) card

  15. More Information on Bibliographic Formats • Step-by-Step Guide to Doing Research: Use a Standard Format for Your Bibliography • Ready Reference: Writer’s Resources • At the Reference Desk: • Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York : Modern Language Association of America, 1999. (O'Neill Reference Desk LB2369 .G53 1999) • Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 6th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. (O'Neill Reference Desk LB2369 .T8 1996)

  16. Want help from a real person? • Contact Michelle Baildon or other subject specialists • Visit or call (2-4472) the Reference Desk during these hours • Email or online chat (Ask 24/7) reference help

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