http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/englb215.html
Research Guide for
English for Later Bilinguals 215
Developing a Search Strategy
Finding Background Information
Finding Books
Finding Periodical Articles Finding Networked Resources
Finding Internet Resources
Citing Sources
DEVELOPING A SEARCH STRATEGY
DEVELOPING A SEARCH STRATEGYSearch strategy is a library term for the process of finding information in a logical, step-by-step manner. Using a search strategy insures that you will find the information or material you need as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Research Steps:
- Choose your topic
- Find background information
- Find books on your topic
- Find periodical articles
- Cite your sources
For online help using on library research strategy and using library resources, try using Library Research, a Hypertext Guide - online, hypertext-based tutorial on library research.
- FINDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Guides and Handbooks
- The materials listed below are a selection of reference resources for finding background information and context for topics you will be covering in this class. Note the call numbers and library locations for these materials and check the reference collections for additional sources of background information.
The authors of articles in reference books often provide bibliographies of selected books and articles for further study.
- The materials listed below are a selection of reference resources for finding background information and context for topics you will be covering in this class. Note the call numbers and library locations for these materials and check the reference collections for additional sources of background information.
- McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. 4th ed. New
York: McGraw-Hill, 1989.
(Uris Ref Q 123 M14; also Olin, Mann)
This dictionary defines 100,100 terms in clear, simple language that is understandable even to non-specialists. It covers all fields of science, engineering, and technology.
- Myers, Bernard S. and Shirley D. Myers, eds. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of
Art. 5 vols. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1969. (Fine Arts
Ref N 31 M14)
Providing broad coverage of the arts and artists from all periods and countries, this 5 volume encyclopedic-dictionary with 15,000 entries contains articles and definitions on styles, periods, cities, buildings, museums, in addition to the considerable number of biographies of painters, sculptors, architects, industrial designers, and decorative artists. The signed articles range from 50 to over 2,000 words and often include illustrations (many in color) and brief bibliographical references.
- Greenwald, Douglas, ed. in chief. The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of
Economics. New York: Mc Graw-Hill, 1994. (Uris and Olin
Ref HB61 .E56 1994)
A compliation of essays on major economic concepts written by distinguished contributors from academia, business and government. Each essay provides a lengthy list of references for further study.
- McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. 7th ed. 20 vols.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1992. (Olin Ref Q 121 M14 1992;
also Mann, Phys Sci)
Presents pertinent information in every area of modern science and technology. Each article is signed and is followed by a bibliography. There is a section "Scientific notation in the encyclopedia" which clarifies usage of symbols, abbreviations and scientific terms. (A 1997 8th edition is now available in Mann and Engineering Libraries.)
- Osborne, Harold, ed. The Oxford Companion to Art. Oxford:
Clarendon, 1970.
(Uris Ref N 33 O98 1971; also Fine Arts)
A handbook, not an encyclopedia, providing brief non-specialist introductory articles on the fine arts. Art is defined narrowly to denote the visual arts generally, excluding the arts of theatre, cinema, and dance, as well as practical arts and handicrafts. Entries vary in length from a few lines to several pages, and often include a reference to one or more items in the bibliography at the back of the work.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States. Washington: Bureau of the
Census, 1878- .
(Uris Ref HA 202 .A25; also Olin Ref, Mann Ref et al)
"The standard annual summary of statistics on the social, political and economic organization of the United States. It is designed to serve as a convenient volume for statistical reference and is a guide to other statistical publications and sources." (Preface) Appendix I refers to tables that update the series cited in Historical Statistics of the U.S. Appendix III, "Statistical Methodology and Reliability," defines basic U.S. surveys and notes limitations, such as sampling errors. A subject index is included to help find material by topic.
There are also a number of networked reference resources including online encyclopedias and dictionaries available via the Cornell Library Gateway at General Interest and Reference.
FINDING BOOKS
Cornell Library Catalog Plus, Olin Library Card Catalog
FINDING BOOKS
Cornell Library Catalog Plus, Olin Library Card Catalog
- Help Using the Cornell Library Catalog
Search Commands, Subject Searching, Keyword Searching, and other functions of the online catalog are explained on these pages.
- Connect to the Cornell Library Catalog
- The Cornell Library Catalog currently includes all items from all Cornell libraries cataloged since 1973, some pre-1973 items, and items on order or in process. Included in the Cornell Library Catalog are books, periodicals and government documents, as well as some other materials located in the libraries at Cornell. The catalog provides the call number, the name of the library, and the circulation status for most materials.
When to Check the Card Catalog
- When the book you want was published before 1973 and it's not in the Cornell Library Catalog, check the card catalog located in the John M. Olin Library. This card catalog contains cards for authors, subjects and titles filed in an alphabetical, word-by-word arrangement for books cataloged through December 1972. Whenever you cannot locate the material you need, ask at a reference desk for assistance.
- Connect to the Cornell Library Catalog
FINDING PERIODICAL ARTICLES
Periodical Indexes and Abstracts
FINDING PERIODICAL ARTICLES
Periodical Indexes and Abstracts
Articles
Periodical articles are an excellent source for detailed analysis or up-to-date information on a topic. These articles are from materials that are published "periodically" or in daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual or even irregular intervals. They are found in newspapers, magazines, journals, yearbooks, and other sources.
Periodicals are available in several formats: bound paper volumes (like books), microfiche or microfilm, and increasingly as electronic text.
Indexes and Abstracts
Periodical Indexes and Abstracts are Reference resources that identify and locate articles in periodical publications. They are often subject-oriented and list author, title, name of periodical, volume, pages and date of publication in entries called bibliographic citations. For information about bibliographic format and how to cite resources that you use in your research, go to Citing Sources.
Abstracts are specialized indexes that also include summaries of the content of the articles with their citations.
Periodical Indexes and Abstracts also come in several formats: traditional and historical bound paper volumes, stand alone CD-ROM computer workstations, and more recently as networked databases available via the Internet.
Networked indexes and abstracts come in a variety of versions and interfaces: telnet, Web, InfoShare (linked to the Catalog), and full-text, to name a few. For more information about finding Networked Resources available through the Cornell University Library, go to Finding Networked Resources.
Linked Indexes
InfoShare indexes are directly linked to holdings in the library catalog. This means your search will yield two kinds of information: 1) It identifies articles on your topic. And 2) It tells you where that source is in the Cornell Library system.
When using indexes and abstracts linked to the catalog, look for the message: Held by library--type HOL for holdings information. This note will appear in the lower lefthand corner of the screen in records where the Cornell Library has the journal or magazine listed as the source of the article. Typing HOL will take you to the Holdings information detailing what libraries on campus have the journal, what volumes they have, call numbers and special locations, and the circulation status of the material.
When using unlinked indexes (essentially all non-InfoShare indexes), search the Cornell Library Catalog (CU) by the title of the periodical (i.e. Time, Scientific American, etc.). If you have questions, ask at the Reference Desk.
Full-text Articles
An ever growing number of periodical indexes offer access to the full-text of articles electronically. Use the Library Gateway to find full-text resources.
Selected Periodical Indexes and Abstracts
- Periodical Abstracts. Ann Arbor: UMI, 1986- . (Cornell Library Gateway)
Indexes and abstracts over 1600 general interest magazines and scholarly journals including all the magazines in Reader's Guide and most of the scholarly journals from Social Sciences Index, Humanities Index, General Science Index. It also includes citations and abstracts to selected television and radio programs. Cornell University Libraries subscribe to most of the periodicals indexed. Holdings can be found easily since the titles are linked to the online catalog. The full text of some transcripts from the television and radio programs can be found by searching the Transcripts section of the General News files in Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe.
Periodical Abstracts/ABI Inform (Full-Text Web version) ProQuest Direct Web interface
Other networked indexes and abstracts can be found in the Cornell Library Gateway. Other selected titles of interest to this class to be found there include:
- Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe
- NewsBank
FINDING NETWORKED RESOURCES
Cornell Library Gateway
FINDING NETWORKED RESOURCES
Cornell Library Gateway
The Cornell University Library Gateway is a new web site which provides a unified approach to finding information about the Cornell University Library and to selecting and connecting to our diverse and growing constellation of networked electronic resources and services.
Buttons on the left side of the screen will always be available to help you navigate among a variety of choices. The Cornell University Library Catalog is at the top of the array to make it easy for you to connect and search for books, journal titles and many other types of materials at Cornell. Networked Resources, the default display on the right side of the screen, enables you to identify and connect to networked electronic resources, such as periodical indexes, full text documents or numeric data files. About CU Library leads you to a wealth of information about the Library, including individual library web sites. Services provides information about library services such as circulation, instruction and reference, and enables you to make a variety of requests, electronically, for services such as book renewals and interlibrary borrowing. Help provides information on a wide variety of general and technical topics that will help you understand and use the CU Library as well as the Library Gateway. And if you need personal help you can click on "Ask a Librarian" at the bottom of each page. Last, but not least, the CUInfo button enables you to connect easily to the Cornell University information system.
Networked Resources contains titles, descriptive information, and links to over 1,200 networked electronic resources, including periodical indexes, numeric and spatial data files, catalogs, audio-visual materials, and full text documents such as electronic journals and reference sources. It is a "database of databases." There are two main ways to search for databases in your areas of interest: searching and browsing.
Searching for Databases
Click on the top search box to select the type of resource you are interested in, such as indexes or full text, or all types, then type a keyword or keywords in the second search box. The Networked Resources database will then generate a list of resources (databases) that match your search request.
Browsing for Databases
Below the Search boxes you will find a menu of subject categories. Click on a subject category to browse lists of resources available in that subject area. Or, you can browse the lists of New Resources, "Greatest Hits" (frequently used databases), or the Alphabetical List of titles contained in the Networked Resources database (over 1,200 titles and growing).
Once you have identified the networked resource you are interested in, you can then connect to it directly to gather the information you need to perform a search on your specific topic in the file or database you have selected.
FINDING INTERNET RESOURCES
SEARCH ENGINES AND SUBJECT GUIDES
FINDING INTERNET RESOURCES
SEARCH ENGINES AND SUBJECT GUIDES
Use search engines or Internet subject guides to find resources or sites on the World Wide Web on your topic. Search Engines are software that allow you to search the contents of web pages and Subject Guides are web pages that use menus and lists to sort and classify web sites.
Question Authority! The Internet is a very democratic tool, in that anyone can write or say virtually anything they wish to on it. As you would do with books and journal articles, look to see who is responsible for producing the web page or site that you are accessing. Does the individual or institution have a particular bias or concern or agenda in presenting their information. How objective is the information? How accurate or truthful? How authoritative?
- Search the Internet
- Internet Subject Guides
- Library Web Servers World-Wide
- Library Catalogs World-Wide
- Listserv and Discussion List Directories
SELECTED INTERNET RESOURCES
- Internet Reference Resources chosen by the O*K*U Reference staff
- WebMuseum
- IthacaNet
- Cornell University Department of Physics
CITING SOURCES
CITING SOURCES
- APA and MLA Style sheets for print sources
- APA and MLA Style sheets for Internet sources
- How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
RESEARCH HELP ONLINE
- Library Gateway Help
- The Reference Home Page at O*K*U Libraries
- Library Research at Cornell: A Hypertext Guide
- Library Vocabulary: Definitions of Library Terms
REFERENCE HELP
You can ask your questions at our reference and information desks, over the phone, or by e-mail.
- Reference Desk Schedules in Olin and Uris Libraries
- Olin Library Reference phone number: 255-4144
- Uris Library Reference phone number: 255-2339
- Olin Kroch Uris Reference e-mail address: okuref@cornell.edu
- Question? Ask a Librarian
Reference Home Page
July 14, 1998
Lance Heidig, ljh5@cornell.edu
Reference Services Division, Olin Kroch Uris Libraries
Cornell University Library
URL: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/englb215.html
Olin and Uris Libraries, Cornell University, Ithaca
NY 14853
PSA: Public Services and Assessment
Information and reference: 607-255-4144, okuref@cornell.edu
Circulation: (Olin) 607-255-4245, (Uris) 607-255-3537, olincirc@cornell.edu