Research Process Steps 

1. Plan your search 
2. Find information in books
3. Find information in articles
4. Use Internet or other sources
   Cite correctly 

Plan your search for type of information 

Use a research guide for your topic area to help locate books and key databases to search for articles  /LCU/cstudent/library/guides/

Find book information 

Get an overview of your topic for key terms, events, and people using encyclopedias or dictionaries for your subject

Search the online library catalog by:

• Keywords or phrase (1-2 words)
• Subject (Library of Congress subject heading)
• Author
• Title
• Use links in the book's detailed record for more subjects and categories to search
• Links for ebooks lead to Netlibrary.com for the full-text 

Books are shelved by their call numbers A-Z.  A-C=3rd floor, D-HT=2nd floor, HV-Z=1st floor
            Children's literature and Texas K-12 curriculum books=1st floor

Find articles using databases to search for your topic
(Databases are paid library resources, not free Internet sites) 

LCU Library has over 100 databases listed on the Find Articles page
Use the Off campus link and enter your LCUnet login

General databases search all topics

• Academic Search Premier (Texshare database)  
• Wilson Select (First Search database)
• Reader's Guide (First Search database)

Databases may include:

• Bibliographic citations only
• Abstracts with citations
• Fulltext or full page images of articles
• Citations include footnote information: author, title of article, journal title, volume, issue date and pages Ex: Green, Tom.  Elder abuse. Social Work, v.49 (2) May 2006, 3-23

Online Searching in databases 

• Basic search is 1-2 words or "keyword phrase" 
• Advanced Search connects multiple search terms &/or author/title of article
• For a boolean logic visual, see http://reinert.creighton.edu/research/toolkit/boolean.htm
• Subject phrase is a more focused search (use subject links in the detailed record) 
• Source search looks for a specific journal or book title
• Read search tips for each database

Journals at LCU are listed in the online catalog - search for periodical title
Volumes & dates available are listed with location: current, microfiche, microfilm or 4th floor

Searching the Web 

The Web is a good source for current events, local facts, biographical & government information

Tutorial:
UC Berkeley "Finding Information on the Internet"
www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html

Evaluate web information

Use the Internet wisely: Internet Detective tutorial www.vts.intute.ac.uk/detective/index.html
Analyze author, organization &/or domain
Best=edu, gov; Good=org; Maybe=com

Compare objectivity, accuracy & currency to the information you have already found

Univ. of Southern Maine "Checklist for Evaluating Web Resources"
library.usm.maine.edu/guides/webeval.html

Cite Correctly 

Duke University Libraries plagiarism tutorial http://library.duke.edu/research/plagiarism
Manual for writers of term papers by Kate Turabian LB2369 T8 1996
Citation styles http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/onine/citex.html
MLA (Modern Language Association) http://www.mla.org
APA (American Psychology Assoc.) http://apastyle.org
How to prepare an annotated bibliography http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm
Free Citation Service http://www.citationmachine.net/ 

Don't forget...
The LCU Librarians are full-time teaching faculty whose primary job is to teach students the effective use of the library and its resources.  Do not hesitate to ask for assistance from your primary reference source--a librarian.