Library Catalog (including e-books)

Notice special link to Search e-books from off-campus 

Library Databases

 

Gale Virtual Reference Library

This database is valuable for its concise, informative and well-researched articles on a variety of topics.

 

CQ Researcher

This is a good database for a deep introduction to a topic. 25-30 pages long, each weekly issue covers a single topic in the news.

 

Opposing Viewpoints in Context

This is what you would use to gather pro/con essays on current topics. It also links to newspaper and scholarly journal articles, although not nearly as comprehensive as the EBSCO databases. You can find many magazine articles, though.

 

Periodicals Premier

Recommendation: start with Subjects (headings search) first within EBSCO collection, See all the database options and select a few that pertain to your topic of research.

NOTE: Each EBSCO database may have its own list of subject terms. Search each separately.

Web Directories

Resource Shelf Blog (web.resourceshelf.com/go/resourceblog/)

Infomine (infomine.ucr.edu/)

Search strategies:

Use as few, carefully selected (and correctly spelled), words as possible, particularly in the library catalog.

Combine terms to increase relevancy:

For example: Internet and history, newspapers and economic aspects, sound recording industry

Use the connector ‘AND” to combine search terms while searching the catalog.

Truncation symbols: Catalog uses $, databases use *, Google uses nothing.