X150: Managing Resources for Learning
Welcome to X150 and the IUB Libraries! If you have never done library research before, look at the Guide to Library Research. This interactive tutorial provides definitions of library terms, suggestions on how to create searches, tips on evaluating information, and much more.Searching:
Before accessing information, you will need to create some search terms and strategies, which can be difficult. For help, use the: Creating Keywords & Building Search Strings Worksheet. There are many different types of sources, including books, movies, and journal or magazine articles, that you may want to use.
Books:
To find books or movies, search IUCAT, the library's online electronic catalog. IUCAT tells you what materials the IUB Libraries own and where they are located. For help searching IUCAT, look at Finding a Book. Be aware of the options in the box on the right. You can limit to sound recordings, DVD/Videos, and other options as well.
Journal/Magazine Articles:
To find journal or magazine articles, search an electronic library database. Use the "Resource Gateway" on the IUB Libraries' web site to search for a particular database by name, alphabetically, or by subject. With so many databases, you may be wondering, where do I start? Use Academic Search Premier as a starting point. It covers many different subjects and includes full-text.
Other places for Journal/Magazine Articles:
JSTOR: This is a general resource that covers many different subjects and all articles are available full-text. The content tends to be older.
The MLA International Bibliography includes material in modern languages,literature, linguistics and folklore.
Web of Knowledge: covers the literature of science, the social sciences, arts and humanities.Unlike other indexes, you can search not only article titles and abstracts, but also their bibliographies--helping you find other sources.
Newspaper Articles and Photos:
Lexis-Nexis is an electronic library database that includes the full-text of newspaper articles for both national, regional, and local news from 1980-present.
The AP Photo Archive is an electronic library containing the AP's current photos and a selection of pictures from their 50 million image print and negative library.
Career Resources:
Academic Search Premier can also be used to find career information. Use "career" or "occupation" or "employment" with a career or area of interest as search terms.
Resources for Non-Native English Speakers:
This page contains a list of dictionaries and thesauri that can be helpful when finding search terms.
Another place to find search terms is wikipedia. Although this is not a source to be cited and directly used in research, many of the terms in blue can be used as effective search terms. Often, a bibliography of sources is listed at the end of the article, serving as another way of finding resources. Articles in foreign languages may also be available, providing an introduction to a topic.
Library research tends to use discipline specific words. For a list of definitions of library words like "abstract" and "index," written for non-native English speakers, see this article: Rutgers University Libraries Task Force on International Student Guides, “Library Terminology: A Guide for International Students,” (May 1999).
Citing Sources:
No matter where you get your information from, you will need to cite it. For help, see Help with Citing.
Library Services:
The library is here to help you get the resources you need. Check out the library services page to learn how to request materials from other libraries and have them delivered and how to renew and recall books.
Help: Ask a Librarian anytime! Or take advantage of the Research Consultation service. If you are in the library, stop by the Reference Desk for assistance. We're happy to help you at any stage of the research process.
