Research Guide for ENGL&102 (Bennett): Focus on the Future
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Prepared by Elinor Appel NSCC Library (this will open in a new window) February 23: Information Literacy Process
March 3: Library resources
Image source: The Futurist. This periodical is available online via the following databases: ProQuest, Academic Search Premier, eLibrary, and in print in the ilbrary. |
Whether you are using journal articles, magazines, websites, books or blogs, you need to be able to both identify and evaluate your source. It is usually easier to identify and evaluate print sources. You will be most effective in identifying good online sources if you follow the ABCs of evaluation:
- Authority - who wrote the content? Is there an institution that sponsors the material? Is the authorship and authority clear? Do they have specific knowledge related to the content area and can they prove it?
- Bias - what is the standpoint of the author or authoring institution? Can you identity a purpose (sell, educate, persuade) of the online content? Is the standpoint clearly stated?
- Currency & context - when was this content created? Does it matter if this is old news? What is the context of the content?
Refer to Searching the Internet for tips on searching the Internet effectively using Google. Simply limiting your search by domain (site:edu or site:gov) is often a good way to start.
Class Activity: Analyze this - what is this and is it an appropriate resource for college research?
- 1. Everyday Living in the Future
- Further research: find more periodical articles on japan AND robots AND future
- 2. Future War
- Further research: find information on armed robots from a government website
- 3. Race in the Future
- Further research: find the original information (primary source) for this blog entry
- 4. Gender Issues of the Future
- Further research: find the full text to this book in the library resources
- 5. Religion and the Future
- Further research: how would you find and request one of the references, Battle for God, in the SCCD system
Library databases are your most direct route to reliable full-text articles online.
Refer to Finding Articles for tips on how to search ProQuest using keywords and Topics. Experiment with searches in ProQuest. Remember to limit your search to full text. Keep it simple:
Check Suggested Topics. Follow those links to more information on your topic.
Other periodical databases:
- Academic Search Premier - another general database with a range of articles
- eLibrary Academic - an articles database that includes images, transcripts
To access these databases from off campus, log in with your SID and last name.
Refer to Finding Books for tips on searching the catalog using keywords. Unless you know the title, begin with a Keyword Relevance search:
Then find a title that looks good. Check location, call number, and availability.
Then locate the subjects in the record . . .
These subject links will sometimes lead to more books on the same topic. (The larger the library system, the more likely this is.)
I recommend using a library resource called Noodlebib to list your sources in MLA format and to save them all in one place.
- Noodlebib (create an account on campus, then access it anywhere)
- MLA Citation Style "cheat sheet"
Still need help? Email me, come to the library reference desk, or Ask a Librarian (online reference help 24/7).
Video Source: Leonard Cohen on the CBC, 2-12-1993, via YouTube.