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FYS: Individual and Community

October 9, 2007

   Shirley Knight                                            Kelly Buchta, Instructor

   sknight@ramapo.edu, x7315                      INTD: 101- 20

 I. Library Homepage   Provides access to the catalog (OPAC), databases, other materials and services etc.

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• First Year Seminar Page  Information on library research for all FYS classes

• Course Reserve  Need either Ramapo ID (R#) or barcode (provided by the library)

• Q&A New Jersey  Reference assistance when there is no reference librarian available

 II.  Reference Material

CQ Researcher	A weekly publication providing original in-depth analysis of the most current major and controversial issues of the day with complete summaries, all the pros and cons, two bibliographies and more.
Opposing Viewpoints Series:  (Child Abuse, Crime and Criminals, Poverty etc)	Ref H 31 .O 62
Social Issues in America: an encyclopedia	Ref HN 57 .S624   2006
Filmography of Social Issues: a reference guide	Ref  PN 1995.9 .S62 M58 2004
World Poverty: a reference book	Ref  H 31 .C76 W75
Encyclopedia of Family Life	Ref HQ 534 .E53 1999
Environmental Encyclopedia	Ref GE 10 .E 38 2003
Television Violence: a guide to the literature	Ref PN 1992.8 .V55 T45 1999

III. Finding Books at the Potter Library

• Catalog: use this to find books, journal 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. This may take a few seconds to load.

• Search the catalog using Keywords to find materials using keywords
  • For example: search for "smuggling" or "human trafficking" to locate a broad range of material and look for ideas for your project.
  • Use quotation marks around a multi-word phrase to narrow your results, i.e. "violence on television"

                  OR

• Search the catalog using "Subject Browse" feature if  you know the relevant Library of Congress subject headings, for example:    

                     Tips

1. Start with broad searches. It is 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. Can "virtually" browse the shelves by clicking on the call number in a record

IV. Electronic Resources

• Use the following Electronic Resource (Online Databases) for finding articles

• Alphabetic by Title
• By Subject

• (Scholary/Peer Reviewed/Referred articles have been reviewed by a selected panel of

            experts in the discipline covered by that journal).

• Journal Finder : indicates whether a journal is available full-text online, in print in the library, or available on microfilm.

 V. Web Searches

• Subject Resources

• Use Evaluating WebSites  to determine if the site is authorative enough to use in your paper

 VI. Bibliographies and Annotated Bibliographies

• Academic Integrity give credit where credit is due

• Use Citing Web Sites and Print Resources for MLA Citation style guidance. Print versions of  MLA is located at the circulation desk - LB2369 .G53 2003 )

• How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography http://www.library.cornell.edu/okuref/research/skill28.htm

• Concordia University http://www.library.condordia.ca/help/howto/annotated bibliography.php

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