Writing 1
Papers:
Guide to Library Research
Please see Writing 1 for links to class guides for your section.
Finding materials in the library to use in writing papers is an important step in the research process. The following information is intended to serve as a supplement to, but not as a substitute for, the assistance available to you at the Reference Desk on Level 1 of Olin Library. You will find that research can be hard work and perhaps even confusing at times, but reference librarians are ready to guide you through the process. ASK FOR HELP WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.1. CHOOSE A TOPIC
2. BACKGROUND READING
3. FIND BOOKS - USE THE LIBRARY CATALOG
4. FIND PERIODICAL ARTICLES - USE DATABASES AND INDEXES: A TWO-STEP PROCESS
- Step One - WHAT ARTICLES HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ON YOUR TOPIC?
- Step Two - ARE THE SELECTED ARTICLES AVAILABLE FROM THE WU LIBRARIES?
6. OBTAIN MATERIALS NOT AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
7. EVALUATE THE INFORMATION
8. CITE SOURCES
You already will have begun the research process with the first step, which is to:
1. CHOOSE A TOPIC and begin to narrow it down enough to be able to write a good paper. You should discuss the topic with your instructor to be sure it will be acceptable for work in your class.
2. BACKGROUND READING - If you don't feel you know enough about the topic to begin your research, you may wish to do some reading in an encyclopedia or check out any specialized terminology in a dictionary. These sources can provide useful overviews of a topic, and may include in their bibliographies resources you can locate and use in your paper. The library has many general and specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries. Our library website includes Britannica Online. Many other choices are available in print in the Olin Library Reference Department on Level 1. Take note of the bibliographies at the end of articles. You may find sources there you can use for your paper. The website also lists a few dictionaries, but many others also are available in the Olin Library Reference Department.
In addition to reading articles in a general encyclopedia, you should consider looking for background information in dictionaries or encyclopedias that are specialized by subject. These can be found in the Libraries' catalog by performing a subject search which uses your subject and the word "encyclopedias" or "dictionaries." For example, to find an encyclopedia in the field of psychology, you could search psychology encyclopedias.
Ask at the Reference Desk on Level 1 of Olin Library if you need assistance finding appropriate dictionaries or encyclopedias.
Now you are ready to begin finding sources that you can use in the bibliography for your paper.
The topic will govern whether you need to use books, journals, newspaper articles, government publications, web sites, or a combination of these materials. Your instructor may have given directions as to which types of sources you should use. Advice is also available from reference librarians at the Reference Desk on Level 1.
3. FIND BOOKS - USE THE LIBRARY CATALOG
To locate books in the Washington University Libraries' collections, use the Libraries' catalog. To find books on a topic, search Use keyword (word) searching when you are unsure of the exact title, author, or Library of Congress subject heading. You may use Boolean operators (and, or, and not) to refine your search, and use parentheses to nest your search terms. Examples:
- plants and diseases
- rivers or streams
- mexico and not new
- (ozarks or mountains) and missouri
- (cats or dogs or pets) and not laboratory
The order of words matters. Multiple words are searched together as one phrase if enclosed in parentheses. For different results, use and between each word or phrase or just do not use the parentheses. For example, "campaign finance reform" gets different results than campaign and finance and reform or campaign finance reform.
The catalog also includes records for videos and DVDs, government publications, and titles of periodicals (magazines, journals, newspapers). Titles of journals, magazines, and newspapers may be found with a Title search. You can also use the Journal Title (journals, magazines, newspapers) search.
NOTE: Titles of periodical articles are not included in the library catalog. Instead, look for the title of the magazine, journal, or newspaper which contains the article.
To find books for which you know the author and/or title, search the catalog
- by author,
- by title,
- or by author/title.
Once you have located the records for the books you want, be sure to note the LOCATION, the CALL NUMBER, and the STATUS. This will prevent you from looking in the wrong location or looking for a book which is checked out or lost. To locate books in Olin Library, consult the collections location guide. In Olin, circulating books are shelved on Levels A, B, 2, and 3. Each of these floors has a map on a stand showing locations. Some books are housed at the West Campus Library, 7425 Forsyth Blvd. If you need a volume which is shelved at West Campus, you may request it be brought to Olin, or you may go to West Campus.
To be able to use books not owned by the Washington University Libraries, see OBTAIN MATERIALS NOT AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY below.
4. FIND PERIODICAL ARTICLES - USE DATABASES AND INDEXES: A TWO-STEP PROCESS
Step One - WHAT ARTICLES HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ON YOUR TOPIC?
Periodical databases and indexes contain references to articles in magazines, newspapers, and/or journals (scholarly magazines).
NOTE: Many of the periodical indexes available in electronic format cover only recent years of publications. To do historic research in journal literature, it may be necessary to use a backfile of printed indexes. Always check the dates covered when searching an index. Also, for some subjects, printed indexes are the best to use. Librarians at the Reference Desk will be happy to assist in selecting the best indexes.
General or Cross-Disciplinary Periodical Databases include magazine, journal, or newspaper articles on a wide range of topics. Some examples of general periodicals are Time, Newsweek, The Nation, and The New York Times. They generally serve as an excellent starting point for research. One example of a general periodical database is Academic Search Premier, which provides the full text for many of the articles included. Its contents include several million articles from both scholarly and popular sources. Some material on nearly any subject can be found in Academic Search Premier. Searches can be limited to scholarly (peer-reviewed)publications.
Other general periodical databases available are listed under Databases .
Subject-Specific Databases provide coverage for articles published in the journal literature of a specific field. Some examples of the many subject-specific databases available on the Libraries' website are PsycINFO (psychology), EconLit with Full Text (economics), Historical Abstracts (excluding the U.S. and Canada), and PubMed (biology). Subject-specific indexes often are directed at professionals or scholars in a field. They will lead to articles which are documented and peer-reviewed. In many university classes, professors prefer, or even require, that many, if not all, articles used as sources in papers be from documented and peer-reviewed (scholarly) journals.
To select the online databases provided for a particular subject, go to Databases, and select a subject from the drop-down menu under "Databases Arranged by Subject." It is always a good idea to use the help screens provided as part of most databases.
You also can search several databases in one operation by using Find it! See the Find it! and Get it! FAQ to learn how Find it! can work for you.
If you do not get good results from what you find, consult with a reference librarian at the Reference Desk. Reference librarians also may suggest printed indexes if the online databases are not sufficient for your topic.
Common Features of Many Databases:
(adapted from a section of a tutorial prepared at The Valley Library, Oregon State University)
Most databases allow searching for keywords or individual words appearing anywhere in the record. What is searchable may vary based on the content of the database. Before beginning a search, it is a good idea to read the help screens. The help screens will provide useful information about how to search and what is searchable in the database.
Most databases have some way to limit or focus the search by indicating the field in which a word or words should appear. For instance, there likely are ways to search for a word or words:
- by author (looking for works by a particular author)
- by title
- by publication date
- by subject
- by words in the abstract
- and, a search usually can be done by combining two or more of these types of searches.
Most databases allow Boolean searching, using the AND, OR, NOT operators to combine search terms. Some use symbols to represent the Boolean operators; others use words or combinations of words. Use the database's help screens to determine the appropriate methods.
Most databases allow tagging or marking of selected articles so that a list can be compiled to print out or e-mail. Sometimes saving the list is required.
Step Two - ARE THE ARTICLES LOCATED IN STEP ONE AVAILABLE FROM THE WU LIBRARIES?
Green "Get it!" Button Present
In most of the databases available on the Libraries website, you have the opportunity to connect directly to full-text articles when the database provides them. In these databases, such as Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, and Historical Abstracts, there will be a green button labeled "Get it!" found in the full view of each journal article citation. Note: If the database also provides citations to books or chapters in books, the Get it! button is present only with the citations for journal or magazine articles.
You can find the information on using the Get it! button at Linking to Full Text: Get it! . In addition to the possibility of finding the full text online, you also will find out how to know if one of the WU Libraries has the journal you need, and how to request a copy from another library if it is not available here. If you need assistance, contact the librarians at the Olin Library Reference Desk.
For titles in any of the WU libraries, the volumes and years held by the Libraries are listed in the library catalog. A location and call number for bound volumes also are included. To see current holdings, click on Latest Received.
To find bound volumes in Olin Library, note the call number, and then click on the link to the left of the call number under "Location." The volumes are shelved on Levels A, B, 2, and 3, and at the West Campus Library, 7425 Forsyth Blvd. Levels A, B, 2, and 3 in Olin have pedestals with maps showing locations, and there also is an online collections location guide. If you need a volume which is shelved at West Campus, you may request it be brought to Olin, or you may go to West Campus.
In Olin, most current issues (those not yet bound) are shelved on Level 1. They are shelved in alphabetical order by title. NOTE: No current issues are at the West Campus Library.
If the article is not available full-text online and the journal it is in is not in one of the WU libraries, you have the option of requesting it on interlibrary loan through ILLiad. Illiad is the interlibrary loan management system. You will need to create an ILLiad account before you can place a request for any ILL material. Connect to ILLiad to create your account.
Depending on the subject matter of the journal, it also may be appropriate to search the catalog of the WU Medical School Library, so there is a link to it under "Other Resources."
No "Get it!" Button Present
If the database you are using does not have the green "Get it!" button included with the journal article citation, go to the Journal Title search in the library catalog to see if the titles you want are available online or are in one of the WU Libraries. NOTE: Titles of periodical articles are not included in the library catalog. Instead, look for the title of the magazine, journal, or newspaper which contains the article.
If the library catalog or the database you used did not provide a link to the full text of the article, sometimes it can be found by using one of the internet search engines to determine if the journal itself has a web site that provides access to the full text of its articles.First Things, the Journal of Religion and Public Life and the Missouri Conservationist are two examples.
An additional resource for finding full-text articles in journals is at Full-Text Electronic Journal Holdings.
To find out more about obtaining materials not owned by the Libraries, see OBTAIN MATERIALS NOT AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY.
5. FIND INTERNET SOURCES THROUGH THE USE OF SEARCH ENGINES
If you are permitted to use internet sources other than those leading to published books and articles, one option is to go to Subject Guides, which include lists of websites in various subject areas which have been evaluated and selected by Washington University subject librarians. You also can use one or more of the search engines made available on the Libraries' website. To make the best use of a search engine, follow the instructions on its help screens. The WorldCat database can be used to locate internet resources that have been evaluated by librarians by limiting the type of materials searched to "Internet Resources," but it is best to evaluate any website before using it for academic purposes.
Evaluation
Since anyone can, and probably will, put anything on the Internet, it is necessary to first evaluate the material before using it for academic purposes. On the Internet it is often difficult to tell
- what something is
- where it came from
- when it was created
- who the author is
- whether the publication is the original, a revision, plagiarized, or altered by others
- whether it has been "filtered" or reviewed by peers, an editor, a refereeing process, or by libraries through the collection development process.
Points to consider when evaluating information found on the Internet:
Author
- Who is the author?
- Is the author the original creator of the information?
- Is the author an authority on the topic?
- How does the information compare with that in other sources in the field?
- Does the author have a bias?
- Is the author affiliated with particular organizations, institutions, or associations?
- Does the organization supporting the site have a particular point of view?
- Does the author's affiliation with this particular institution appear to bias the information?
- When was it written or last updated?
- To what audience is the author writing? Is this reflected in the writing style, vocabulary, or tone?
- Does the material inform? Explain? Persuade?
- Is there sufficient material to support it?
- What conclusions are drawn?
For further information on evaluating web resources, some other good sources are:
Beck, Susan E. "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Or Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources",
Caravello, Patti S. "Judging Quality on the Web",
and
Internet Dectective.
6. OBTAIN MATERIALS NOT AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Several options are available. All but the InfoPass system will require beginning your research well in advance of when the paper is due. Your options include:
MOBIUS - A consortium of Missouri libraries to which the WU Libraries belong.
If a local MOBIUS library has a book you need, it will be here two or three working days after you request it. If it is in a library outside of St. Louis, it will be here within five working days. To find out which books are in MOBIUS and how to request them, go to the MOBIUS Union Catalog Information Sheet. Periodical articles are not available through MOBIUS.
InfoPass - With an InfoPass from the Check-Out Desk (Olin Level 1), you may check out books from selected local libraries. At MOBIUS libraries, an InfoPass is not required; use your Washington University I.D. To find out whether a book you want is in a particular library, consult the WorldCat database. To find out if a periodical is held in another local library, see WorldCat or the MOBIUS catalog.
Interlibrary Loan - If you plan ahead, the library can borrow books from other libraries and obtain copies of periodical articles. Sometimes articles may arrive in a few days, but sometimes they and books, which come by mail, may not arrive for two or three weeks. Information on the service and how to submit requests is available online. For articles, most of the online journal databases to which the Libraries subscribe have direct links to ArticleReach. If the article is unavailable from ArticleReach, the request automatically is sent to ILLiad. Clicking on the green buttons labeled "GetIt!", discussed above under Step Two of 4. Find Periodical Articles - Use Databases and Indexes: A Two-Step Process, next to the full view of the citations in these databases, will show if you need to use ArticleReach or ILLiad.
ILLiad is the interlibrary loan management system. You will need to create an ILLiad account before you can place a request for interlibrary loan material. Connect to ILLiad to create your account.
Recommend a Book Be Purchased - Do you think a book should be in the library? Use the Recommend a Book Purchase form. Note: It usually takes longer to purchase a book than to borrow it, but for very new books, purchasing may be the best option.
There is no charge for interlibrary loan service.
For assistance with making interlibrary loan requests, consult with a librarian at the Reference Desk (Olin Level 1).
7. EVALUATE THE INFORMATION
Select the best: There is a lot of information out there, but not all information is equally important. Use your critical thinking skills and consider:
- Who wrote/published the information? Is this a reliable source?
- When was the material written? Is it current, a classic, or out-of-date?
- Take a look at the bibliographies of reliable works or reference works. Is there someone or some work several sources are citing? If so, you may want to find and consider using that work.
INITIAL APPRAISAL
Author
- What are the author's credentials--educational background, past writings, or experience--in this area?
- Is the book or article written on a topic in the author's area of expertise? Who's Who in America (Ref Desk E663 W56), Biography Index, other print sources shelved in the Olin reference collection on Level 2, or the biographical information located in the publication itself can be used to determine the author's credentials. Ask a reference librarian at the Reference Desk if you need assistance in finding biographical information.
- Has your instructor mentioned this author? Have you seen the author's name cited in other sources or bibliographies? Respected authors are cited frequently by other scholars. For this reason, always note those names that appear in many different sources.
- Is the author associated with an institution or organization? What are the basic values or goals of the organization or institution?
- When was the source published? For a book, look for the copyright date on the reverse of the title page.
- Is the source current or out-of-date for your topic? Topic areas of continuing and rapid development, such as the sciences, demand more current information. On the other hand, topics in the humanities often require material that was written many years ago.
- Is this a first edition of this publication or not? Further editions indicate a source has been revised and updated to reflect changes in knowledge, include omissions, and harmonize with its intended reader's needs. Also, many printings or editions may indicate that the work has become a standard source in the area and is reliable. If you are using a Web source, do the pages indicate revision dates?
- Note the publisher. If the source is published by a university press, it is likely to be scholarly. Although the fact that the publisher is reputable does not necessarily guarantee quality, it does show that the publisher may have high regard for the source being published.
- .
- Is this a scholarly or a popular journal? This distinction is important because it indicates different levels of complexity in conveying ideas.
- .
Having made an initial appraisal, you should now examine the body of the source. Read the preface to determine the author's intentions for the book. Scan the table of contents and the index to get a broad overview of the material it covers. Note whether bibliographies are included. Read the chapters that specifically address your topic. Scanning the table of contents of a journal or magazine issue is also useful. As with books, the presence and quality of a bibliography at the end of the article may reflect the care with which the authors have prepared their work.
Intended Audience
- What type of audience is the author addressing? Is the publication aimed at a specialized or a general audience? Is this source too elementary, too technical, too advanced, or just right for your needs?
- Is the information covered fact, opinion, or propaganda? It is not always easy to separate fact from opinion. Facts can usually be verified; opinions, though they may be based on factual information, evolve from the interpretation of facts. Skilled writers can make you think their interpretations are facts.
- Does the information appear to be valid and well-researched, or is it questionable and unsupported by evidence? Assumptions should be reasonable. Note errors or omissions.
- Is the author's point of view objective and impartial? Is the language free of emotion-rousing words and bias?
- Does the work update other sources, substantiate other materials you have read, or add new information? Does it extensively or marginally cover your topic? You should explore enough sources to obtain a variety of viewpoints.
- Is the material primary or secondary in nature? Primary sources are the raw material of the research process. Secondary sources are based on primary sources. Scholars use this primary material to help generate historical interpretations--a secondary source.
- Is the publication organized logically? Are the main points clearly presented? Do you find the text easy to read, or is it stilted or choppy? Is the author's argument repetitive?
- Locate critical reviews of books in a reviewing source, such as Book Review Index, Book Review Digest (both sources are shelved in the Reference Collection on Level 1), or a source suggested by a reference librarian. Is the review positive? Is the book under review considered a valuable contribution to the field? Does the reviewer mention other books that might be better? If so, locate these sources for more information on your topic.
- Do the various reviewers agree on the value or attributes of the book or has it aroused controversy among the critics?
8. CITE SOURCES
You will need to cite the sources you used in your paper in order to give credit to the authors of the works to which you refer or from whom you quote. Your instructor may require a specific citation format. The Libraries's website includes online style manuals which show how to cite sources in footnotes and bibliographies, as well as a list of some print style manuals which are shelved in the Olin Library reference collection on Level 1. They include methods of citing both print and electronic sources. Ask a reference librarian at the Reference Desk if you need assistance in selecting, locating, or using a style manual.
For more assistance with finding library materials for your papers, consult a librarian at the Reference Desk. Librarians can help you, but YOU NEED TO ASK.
When the research is completed, the writing process will begin. The work in class with your instructor and fellow students will guide you here. Additional help is available from The Writing Center.