College English

ENGL 180; Prof. T. Van Dyke

Guide for finding sources at the George T. Potter Library
 

November 13, 2008

Susan B. Kurzmann

skurzman@ramapo.edu

x7199

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 I. Library Homepage: http://library.ramapo.edu

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  • Provides access to the catalog (OPAC), databases, interlibrary loan forms, etc.
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II. Choosing a Topic

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  • Think about a topic that interests you. You'll have to write about it, so try to make it fun!

  • Make sure your topic is manageable. Avoid researching something that is too broad or too narrow. If it's too broad, you'll be overwhelmed. If it's too narrow, you might not find enough information to back up your thoughts. TIP: If you feel you're overwhelmed or not getting enough material, you may need to refine your search. How? Think about a broader/more narrow time span, a larger/smaller place, a broader/more specific group of people, or a general/more specific event.

Make sure you're clear about what your topic is. It's all right to adjust your topic while you research. However, try to have a basic idea of what you want to do when you begin.

  •  Avoid research stress:
    • Browse general reference resources to give yourself ideas. Try subject encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, etc. to get the ideas flowing.
    • Be careful about time! Finding materials takes time. Interlibrary loan requests take time. Putting together your thoughts takes time.
     

    TIP

  • Go through our tutorials on Beginning Research: Finding Books or Beginning Research: Finding Articles; they both have advice about choosing a topic

III. Finding Books at the George T. Potter Library

  • Catalog: use this to find books, periodical titles (NOT articles), government documents, reserve items, music,and movies owned by the Library. You may limit a search by language, year(s) of publication, type of material, etc.
  • Use the Basic Search to find material using Keywords
    • For example: search for television show or culture and television to locate a broad range of materials the library has on these keywords
    • When you find an appropriate title, click on the Subjects, etc. tab located at the top of a catalog record to see which Library of Congress subject headings are discussed in that particular book/DVD/periodical
    • Use quotation marks around a multi-word phrase so that the catalog system will treat it as a single word, e.g., "television programs"

    OR

  • Search the catalog using Subject Browse feature if you know the relevant Library of Congress subject heading, for example:
    • Television broadcasting
    • Cosby show (television program)
    • Film adaptations

     OR

  • Go to Advanced Search
    • The Boolean search terms ("operators") are built in for your use:
    • AND: you're telling the system to search for material that addresses both terms you've entered
    • OR: you're telling the system to search for material on either of the search terms you have entered
    • NOT: you're telling the system to search for material on the first term you've entered and to exclude any material on the second term you've entered
    • The catalog system will provide more focused results

   TIPS

  1. Start with broad searches. It's much easier to discard too much rather than start with too little.
  2. If you don't know the Subject Heading, use the Subjects, etc. tab located on the top of a catalog record to get to the headings. This will help you focus in on more relevant material.
  3. You can "virtually" browse the shelves by clicking on the call number in a record.

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IV. Reference Material

  • The reference stacks are located on the 3rd floor (this is also the library's entrance).

 

Opposing viewpoints series

A large collection of reference materials which discuss both sides of social issues. Call numbers vary. Multiple volumes. Contains bibliographic information. Some of the issues in the series include (but are not limited to):

  • censorship
  • affirmative action
  • human rights
  • medical ethics
  • addiction
Ref H31 .C76
 

   TIP

Use the bibliographies at the end of articles, books, encyclopedias, and dictionaries to locate more material on your topic.

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V. Finding Articles (Databases)

Some useful Databases for your projects:

Academic Search Premier

Multidisciplinary database that contains many full-text articles and citations.

*When only a citation is indexed, click on the Check availability at Ramapo link to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection in print or through another database.

Expanded Academic ASAP (INFOTRAC)

Multidisciplinary database that contains many full-text articles and citations.

*When only a citation is indexed, click on the Check availability link to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection in print or through another database.
See also:
America's Newspapers (NewsBank)

A full-text database that provides comprehensive coverage of current events (history in the making) and historical events

Proquest Central

New multidisciplinary database

*When only a citation is indexed, click on the Find a copy link and then on Check for full text via 1Cate to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection in print or through another database.

For more authoritative articles, limit your search to Scholarly/Peer Reviewed/Refereed articles: they have been reviewed by a selected panel of experts in the discipline covered by that journal.

    TIPS

  1. Switch to the Advanced Search page in a database. This will give you more control over your results.
  2. Use Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT) and Quotation Marks when running a search. For Example: mexico and environment OR (democracy or "political science") and "human rights"
  3. Always check your Spelling if the database results are zero.
  4. Use the Subject Terms or Thesaurus link, if available, to find the best terms to use in a database.

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VI.  Interlibrary Loan and Journal Finder

  • Interlibrary Loan: allows you to borrow a book or article that the George T. Potter library does not own. There is also a link from the Journal Finder page.
    • Find this link under Quick Links on the library's homepage
 
  • Journal Finder: locate the full text of articles in specific periodicalss (journals, newspapers, magazines)to which we have access either in our print or microform collection or through a full-text database.

    Useful journals for your reserach:

    • Hispanic American Historical Review
    • Latin Amerian Research Review
    • NACLA
    • Find this link under Quick Links on the library's homepage
 

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VII. Preparing Bibliographies

TIP

All databases have a Help link. Check to see if the database gives you the format for citing an article you've found. For example:

  • Academic Search Premier (& all EBSCO databases)
    		 Short-cut buttons are found in the right-hand corner of a record. Click the on the image that looks like a yellow page and the citation for that record will appear in many different citation styles. Make sure when you copy the information into your bibliography (or work cited) page, you include our library's information.

 

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VIII. Web Sources

  • Check the Subject Resources link (under Information Resources) for Selected Web Links for Research in various subject areas.

     

 

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Need more help? Visit or call the Reference Desk: 201.684.7574

OR

Use QandA NJ, a 24/7 virtual chat with a reference librarian.

 
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