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This guide will walk you through the steps of library research. Understand that while this is laid out in a step-by-step, linear process, research is often iterative-- which means you may take some unexpected detours or find yourself backing up to a previous step. This is a normal part of research!
1. Prepare
Choose Your Topic
Places to get topic ideas:
Your textbook: Scan through relevant sections.
Current events: Check out news sources to see what people are talking about.
Encyclopedias: Skim through sections on your subject area.
Talk to people: Ask your instructor, a librarian, or classmates what they think about your subject.
Develop Research Questions
Write down what you already know or don't know about the topic, and then use that information to develop questions to answer in your paper.
Find Key Terms
Make a list of key terminology for your topic.
Scan encyclopedia and Wikipedia articles
Look through your textbook
Talk with friends or a librarian about key terms for your topic
Identify Potential Sources*
News – newspapers, news websites, databases
Organization/company information – websites, company profiles
Research article – scholarly journal
Personal accounts – magazines, news articles, blogs
Statistics – websites, scholarly journal
History (scholarly) – subject encyclopedias, books
History (popular) – magazines, books
*Adapted from Ryan Library Research Guide, Point Loma Univ.
Search for Sources
Use boolean operators
Decrease results
AND: all words listed must appear in search result (e.g., social networking AND college student)
NOT: exclude undesired terms (e.g., social networking NOT software)
Increase results
OR: either word can appear in the result (e.g., social networking OR Facebook)
Use truncation symbols
Cut off a word to its root and use a symbol (usually *) to automatically retrieve all ends of this word. For example:
"Network*" brings back networks, networking,
"Net*" brings back netiquette, netscape, Netflix, etc.
Use alternative, narrower, or broader keywords.
Use a thesaurus for synonyms.
Brainstorm narrower or broader terms with a librarian, your instructor, or a friend.
2. Background Information
Encyclopedias
The library has a wide range of encyclopedias that focus on specific topics. Be sure to check these out in the reference section, near the computers! We have encyclopedia sets on the following topics:
Psychology
Ethics
Religion & American Culture
Christian Civilization
Bible
Judaism
Diversity in Education
Global Change
Drugs and Alcohol
Art
Music
Latin American History & Culture
Pop Culture
Archaeology
As You Read...
Take notes on key facts, dates, events, and people. Check the bibliography at the end of encyclopedia and Wikipedia articles.* These will give you great resources!
*Wikipedia is a GREAT place to start your research-- but you should never END there!
3. Books
Find Books in the Emmaus Library
Using the keywords you brainstormed in steps 1 and 2, enter a few search terms into the Koha library catalog to see what Emmaus has on your topic. If you don't get the results you want, try using different keywords. When you find a book that looks like it's what you're needing, click on the title and take a look at the Subject Terms assigned to the book. Add those terms to your list of keywords, and use them in future searches.
When you find a book you want in the catalog, take a look at the call number. This is the book's "address" and will tell you can find it in the library. The books in the Emmaus library are organized according to the Dewey Decimal system, which breaks down all knowledge into one of ten categories:
000 Generalities
100 Philosophy & Psychology
200 Religion
300 Social Science
400 Language
500 Natural Science & Mathematics
600 Technology & Applied Sciences
700 Arts
800 Literature
900 Geography & History
Each of these classes has ten divisions, which are broken down further as the subject becomes more specific. Books in the Emmaus library are shelved based on these numbers, and are then placed in alphabetical order by the author's last name: a book about the Gospel of Mark by Beth Young would have the call number 226.3 YOU. Books are arranged on the shelves from left to right, top to bottom, according to call numbers and authors. If you're having trouble locating the book you want, don't hesitate to ask library personnel for help!
Google Books
Search Google Books. Using the preview mode, you may be able to find a section of a book you need.
WorldCat
Use WorldCat to find books located in libraries around the world. If you find a book that looks like the one you're needing, fill out this form with the book details to request the librarian to borrow the book from another library.
Can I Borrow Books from Other Dubuque Libraries?
Yes! The Emmaus library will meet most of your academic needs. However, you can present your student ID and apply for a borrower's card at the following libraries and colleges (select the name of the institution to search their catalog):
Keep in mind that borrowing from these libraries is a privilege and not a right. Respect the authority of their staff, and see the Emmaus librarian with any problems you encounter. (Keep in mind that this borrowing process can take anywhere from several days to several weeks.)
4. Articles
Where and How Do I Get Relevant Articles?
Articles are found in periodicals, which are publications issued at regular intervals, such as academic journals, magazines, and newspapers. The Emmaus Library provides you with access to the articles in these types of periodicals through physical copies (located next to the children's rooms) and through electronic databases such as EBSCOhost. EBSCOhost is a platform that makes searching for the articles you need much quicker than flipping through journal after journal trying to find something relevant to your topic.
How Do I Choose a Database?
When you select the EBSCOhost link, you will be taken to a list of EBSCOhost services. For college students, select the first option, EBSCOhost Web.
This will take you to a list of database options. Read the detailed descriptions on this page to choose the appropriate database(s) based on the topic you are researching. You can select multiple databases to search at the same time by clicking the checkboxes next to the database titles.
For recommendations on which databases to choose, see the appropriate Research Guide or ask a librarian.
Article Formats
Depending on the database you are using, articles may be displayed in different formats:
Index: Includes only the article citation (author, title, date, etc.). Neither a summary nor the full-text of the article are available.
Abstract: Includes the citation and a summary of the article's content. It does not include the full-text article.
Full-text: Includes the citation and full-text article. This may be in HTML, .pdf, or both formats.
Types of Periodicals*
On the search page of the database you're using, look for the options to limit your results by scholarly journal, peer-reviewed journals, industry publications, or other similar options. Here's a brief overview of the types of periodicals you'll run into:
Academic journals: Written by researchers of scholars in the field for academics & professionals (e.g., The Christian Education Journal, Journal of Psychology & Christianity)
Trade magazines: Written by staff writers or industry professionals for industry professionals (e.g., Clavier Companion)
General interest magazines: Written by staff or freelance writers for general public, include current events & special features (e.g., Christianity Today)
Newspapers: written by staff writers & freelance journalists for general public, include current events & special features (e.g., New York Times, Wall Street Journal)
*Portions of this page taken from Johnson & Wales University.
Open Access Journals
Open access journals provide unrestricted, free access via the internet to peer-reviewed, scholarly journal articles. Check out the Research Guides for links to databases with open access journal articles.
What Do I Do if the Full Text of the Article Isn't Available?
Write down the citation of the article in its entirety.
Example: Sarot, Marcel. "Pastoral Counseling and the Compassionate God." Pastoral Psychology 43.3 (1995): 185-190.Check the Emmaus catalog to see if we have this journal.
Example: Search Pastoral Psychology as a title. If the title of the journal is listed with a REF call number, the Emmaus library as copies of this journal.Go to the back of the library and find the journal in the bound journals section.
Journals are organized alphabetically by title.
The most current issue of journals and magazines are on the display shelves by the children's rooms.
If the journal article you're looking for is from a year other than the current year, it's likely to be in the bound journals section.
Once you've found the shelves that have the journal title, look for the volume and/or year on the spine of the journal.
Once you've found the volume, look inside for the correct issue; within the issue, find the page numbers you're looking for.
Although these journals cannot be taken out of the library, you're welcome to make a copy of the article on the copy machine for 10 cents per page.
Note: In the event that Emmaus does not have the journal or specific volume you're looking for and you're fairly confident that the article would be key for your paper, email the library with the entire citation and ask if we can get the article from another library.
The turnaround time for this is usually a day or two, so don't wait until the last minute!
5. Websites
Finding Reliable Websites for Research
Check the Research Guides to see recommended websites and resources for every Emmaus program.
Use a Google Advanced Search to refine and limit your results.
Look at the bibliographies or references on internet sources you find helpful. These will lead you to more sources!
Online Resources
Evaluating Websites
Currency
Date information was published/posted
Revisions/updates
Functional lists
Relevance
Intended audience
Comfort level citing this source in a research paper
Authority
Author/publisher/source/sponsor
Credentials or organizational affiliations
Qualifications of author to write on topic
Contact information for the author
URL as an indicator of author/source
Accuracy
Source of information
Supported by evidence
Reviewed/refereed
Verification in another source/personal knowledge
Tone: unbiased, free of emotion
Spelling, grammar, typographical errors
Purpose
Intentions made clear by authors/sponsors
Information as fact, opinion, propaganda
Objective and impartial point of view
Bias: political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, personal
Google Search Tips
" ": searches for the exact phrase in the quotation mark [Example: "television violence"]
AROUND(3): to ask for specific terms that are separated by a given number of words in any order [Example: macleod AROUND(3) Emmaus]
- (minus): exclude an irrelevant term [Example: salsa -cilantro]
related: search for pages that are similar [Example: related:realsimple.com]
link: find pages that link to a particular site (very useful when evaluating webpages!) [Example: link:mla.org]
intitle: will look for the word or phrase you enter in the title of the website [Example: intitle:Christian publisher]
6. Cite Your Sources
MLA Formatting
Be sure to ask your instructor which citation method he or she prefers.
Format Guides
Videos
APA Formatting
Format Guides
Videos
Free Citation Generators
Use citation generators with discretion. You are responsible for checking citations created by a generator to make sure they are correct!
Zotero: A light version of the popular Zotero that doesn't require any downloads.
KnightCite: A citation generator powered by Calvin University that is ad free.
Citation Builder: Online citation builder from NC State University.
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