Welcome to the Library Research Module for UNIV 1152! If you are enrolled in an in-person section of UNIV 1152, please feel free to review the activities and additional materials.
If you are in an online section of UNIV 1152, you will need to complete each of the following activities.
This is a tutorial that shows you how to begin searching through the library! Make sure to save your certificate of completion for your records!
Did you know that when you enter an entire sentence into Google it searches each.. word.. individually? That's why you get millions of results back! Luckily Google does a decent job of returning relevant results from a sentence. Unlike Google, databases can't understand an entire sentence. You will need to break your topic down into the most important ideas, or keywords. Even Google will give you better results if you use relevant keywords!
Exclude irrelevant words
When using the databases, you should exclude all extraneous words from your searches. First, leave out all articles (a, and, the) in your search. Next, narrow your search terms down to two or three words that describe exactly what you hope to find For example, if you are writing a paper about the theme of discrimination in Frankenstein, narrowing your search terms down to discrimination and Frankenstein will likely retrieve a manageable list of more precise results.
After you have selected your initial search terms, list any synonyms or related terms that might be relevant to your topic. For example, if your search terms are Frankenstein and discrimination, you might want to try synonyms such as "prejudice" or "intolerance" in place of discrimination. You may even replace discrimination with a related term, such as "inhumanity." Successful searches are often the result of trying out a variety of terms. Most databases will provide you with suggestions of additional or alternate search terms to use, which can lead you to better results in a shorter amount of time.
Once you've broken down your research topic into keywords you can start searching more in-depth using filters and other search tools. The boolean operators and, or, & not can help you combine keywords to retrieve results directly related to your topic. Boolean operators are like a type of filter and can be used in just about any search bar, including databases and Google!
Most library databases have built in search tools such as filters.
Here are some useful filters:
You can also view the Advanced Search for more filters and tools!
It is important to keep in mind that you should always keep evaluating the information that you encounter, including before you use it in an assignment! SIFT through the information that you find, and if you'd like a refresher, you can view the tutorial here!
These sites are used by colleges, universities, and other schools. They will often contain reliable research and academic information
Example: https://www.rsu.edu/
These are official government websites. Information on these sites comes from federal, state, or local government sources and can generally be considered reliable.
Examples: https://oklahoma.gov/ | https://www.usa.gov/
Originally intended for non-profit organizations, this domain is now available to anyone. While many reliable non-profits use it (like the Red Cross), the cost to have a .org website domain is approximately $10 a year, so ensure that you maintain an extra critical eye on the information that you find there.
Consider asking yourself questions like: Is this organization heavily established? Do they have content that looks reliable? Can I fact check the information that they provide me?
Examples: https://wikipedia.org/ | https://web.archive.org/
This is the most common domain and is used by businesses and commercial ventures. The information on these sites may be biased toward selling a product or service, so it's essential to take a very close look at the information that they offer before you accept it at face value.
Examples: https://google.com/ | https://amazon.com/
This domain was originally for network providers but is now a general-purpose domain. It can be used by almost anyone, so you should be very careful when evaluating these sites.
Examples: https://cnet.net/ | https://https://www.speedtest.net/
Primary sources are original materials that offer a firsthand, direct look at a topic or event. They are created by someone who was there or was directly involved. This includes things like original documents, personal letters, diaries, interview transcripts, speeches, photographs, and raw data from research or surveys.
Secondary sources are a step away from primary sources because they are created by someone who is interpreting or analyzing the original information. They often use and reference primary sources, but they add their own layer of commentary. Examples include most books, articles, or documentaries that review a topic without being a direct, firsthand account.
