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When it comes to doing research, our libraries have physical and digital materials available for students to check out or use. While it may be easier to use a search engine like Google to find information online, not all of the information on Google can be used in your classes.
Fortunately, our libraries have databases that allow you to find information like you would on Google. A database is a digital collection of information on one or more topics. Databases can cover different subjects, such as biology, history, and psychology, and they have information in different formats, such as scholarly articles, books, magazines, news articles, videos, and more.
Databases are useful when you are looking for information on a specific topic and need information that is considered scholarly, or information that is written by an expert who can ensure that the information is accurate, up-to-date, and of the highest quality. Scholarly sources include scholarly articles, books, publications, and websites.
A scholarly source (also known as an academic or peer-reviewed source) is a research-based article written by scholars who have advanced degrees in their field. A scholarly article has a list of references or sources and different sections, such as an introduction, background or literature review, methodology, discussion, and conclusion.
Examples of scholarly sources are books from academic publishers, peer-reviewed journal articles, reports from research institutions, and other peer-reviewed research in an academic, clinical, or scientific field.
You can find scholarly sources in our library databases.
A popular source generally refers to articles that are found in popular forms of media, such as Internet sites, magazines, and newspapers. They are written for a general audience and are useful for getting background information on a topic. Unlike scholarly sources, popular sources do not have references or sources. They can also come from a biased or uninformed perspective.
Examples of popular sources include newspaper articles, magazine articles, blog posts, Internet sites, and social media.
Some magazines, however, do publish scholarly sources.
The key difference between a scholarly source and a popular source is the peer-review process. When an article or publication is peer-reviewed, it is edited and reviewed by other scholars to confirm that the information is accurate, updated, and high-quality.
Articles or publications that do not pass the peer review process will not be published by most journals.
Searching is a process, and it can affect your search terms or research topic as you go. The direction of your search will evolve based on your assignment, your interests, and your results.
Sometimes, the hardest part of doing research is choosing a topic. Fortunately, we have databases available that can help you find a topic and background information, such as Issues & Controversies and Opposing Viewpoints.
Once you have a topic, begin doing background research in databases like Issues & Controversies, Opposing Viewpoints, and Credo Reference to get an understanding of your topic and what questions you may have. By getting a basic understanding of your topic, you will be able to develop a research question that will help you move to the next step.
A research question helps you determine exactly what you want to find out about your topic. Without a good research question, you will have trouble working on your research assignment. The answer to your research question will form your thesis statement, or the position you will argue in your assignment. Not all assignments will have a thesis statement, but all assignments will have a research question.
What is a strong research question? Scribbr describes a strong research question as a question that:
To learn more about writing strong research questions and examples, read Scribbr's article on developing research questions.
Keywords, also known as search terms, are the words you type into a database or resource to find sources and information. Keywords include synonyms, broader terms, narrower terms, abbreviations, acronyms, and related ideas.
Unlike search engines like Google and DuckDuckGo, library databases are unable to pull keywords from questions or phrases that you search for.
Keywords are like putting together a puzzle: If you limit yourself by trying to find two puzzle pieces— or sources— that fit perfectly, you will struggle to fully understand your topic. Gathering as many sources— or pieces— as possible will help you get a better understanding of your topic.
Once you have a topic and conduct background research to develop a research question, you are ready to make keywords. To make keywords, start by breaking down your research question into its main ideas or concepts.
Example: "How do online classes affect the quality of education for college students?"
Keywords: Online, classes, affect, education, and college students
Now, you can explore synonyms and like-terms to develop more keywords that will help broaden your search. You can do this before you start researching by typing your keywords into an online dictionary, but you may also find keywords when searching for articles in our databases. Often, they may be referred to as "search terms".
Below are examples of additional terms that can be used to research online classes for college students.
Keywords: Distance education, remote learning, impact, community college, college, university, and undergraduate
Now that you have developed keywords, you can begin using our databases to find information. Our databases use Boolean operators to help you find what you are looking for. Boolean operators, such as "and", "or", and "not", connect they keywords you use in your searches to find information.
For example, if your topic was on undergraduate students and studying, then you would use the Boolean operators in the following ways:
If you want to find sources that use specific phrases or wording, put quotation marks around your keywords or terms.
You can also combine Boolean operators to narrow your search results.
While the keywords that you pull from your research question or thesis are a good starting point, there are additional methods you can use to find relevant information.
A successful search takes time and patience. Do not be afraid to explore multiple sources and source types to find the information you need.
If you are looking for credible and scholarly information on a specific subject, you can use our research guides to find databases, books, websites, and more on dozens of topics. Our libraries have research guides for different courses and subjects, and they are reviewed and updated periodically so students have access to the best sources available.
If you need help with doing research, we also have research tutorials available on how you can use our databases effectively. You can also contact us through our library chat or by phone, email, text, and in-person for additional assistance.