Library Research Strategies PO 517: Liberalism, Democracy, & American Foreign Policy PO 522: International Institutions, Public & Private Prof. David Deese Michelle Baildon

So What’s the Point? Yes, to learn about Quest, databases, etc. Yes, to learn how to find stuff for your papers Most important: To get the big picture –What’s the information landscape? What’s out there in the world? What’s here at BC? How do I find it? Who can help me? –You’ll have a clue for the rest of your lives

First, a Whirlwind Tour of the BC Libraries Web Site Home page Subject specialists Research guides Online databases Quest Electronic journals How do I... ?How do I Tutorials

Not All Information Is Created Equal What kind of source? Primary source Secondary source What kind of material? Books Journal articles Government documents Archival material Music Film Etc. etc. etc. etc. What format? Print Digital (online) Microfilm DVD CD Etc. etc. etc. etc.

Different Information Is Kept in Different Places at BC Books: Stacks, Off-site Storage (Kenny-Cottle, NEDL, Newton Resource Center), and Other Libraries Reference Books: Reference Stacks, Reference Desk, Reference Index Area Newspapers: Current Periodicals, Online, Microfilm Journals: We’ll get to that later Films, music recordings: Media Center Government Documents: Guess where? Gov Docs Archival material: Burns Library Remember: The call number is key!!

Different Tools Find Different Things Catalogs: Everything a library holds Union catalogs: Everything that many libraries hold (see WorldCat)WorldCat Indexes: Show you where to find specific articles –Take you down another level of specificity Finding aids: Manuscripts and archival records These all go by the alias “database”

Using Quest Basic search: Good for title, author, keyword Use keyword to get LC subject heading “Boolean logic” (a.k.a. “and” & “or”) Advanced search: –Combine searches –Limit by language, format, library

Using Quest (cont.) Requesting checked-out books or in- process books Create lists, save records Other catalogs: Journal Titles; Course Reserves; WorldCatWorldCat Check Quest Help!

Finding Journal Articles What is a scholarly journal? –Contains articles by academics –Peer-reviewed What formats are they in? –Some are in print –Some are online –Some are both

Where are the journals? Current Periodicals Stacks Offsite Storage Microfilm Online

Finding Journal Articles: Tell Me How Finding articles the old-fashioned way: –Step 1: Find your article in an index –Step 2: Find your journal in a catalog The crucial step in Quest: VIEW HOLDINGS The miracle of full text and “FindIt” (Welcome to the 21st century) –If you know exactly what article you’re looking for, use Citation Linker on the Electronic Journals page Electronic Journals

Finding Journal Articles: Databases Some databases are just indexes Some are indexes with “FindIt” buttons and/or links to articles –PAIS International; Worldwide Political Science AbstractsPAIS InternationalWorldwide Political Science Abstracts Some are indexes with “selected full text” –Expanded Academic ASAPExpanded Academic ASAP Some are collections of working papers, journal articles, etc. –CIAO; JSTORCIAOJSTOR There are many more... Please see: –PO517 & 522 Guide to ResourcesPO517 & 522 Guide to Resources –American Politics Research GuideAmerican Politics Research Guide –U.S. Foreign Policy Research GuideU.S. Foreign Policy Research Guide –Political Science Online DatabasesPolitical Science Online Databases

Finding Primary Sources Print sources –Use Quest and WorldCatQuestWorldCat Digitized sources –See Research Guides, Online Databases Page, QuestResearch GuidesOnline Databases PageQuest –Think critically about free Internet sources Microfilm –Use Quest Advanced Search and limit to microfilmQuest –Newspapers: See U.S. History Research GuideU.S. History Research Guide Archival sources –Archival Resources, ArchivesUSAArchival ResourcesArchivesUSA In general: Check footnotes and bibliographies For specific examples, see PO 517 & 522 Guide to Resources PO 517 & 522 Guide to Resources

What if BC Doesn’t Have It? How would you find something BC doesn’t have? –An index or database –WorldCatWorldCat –Someone tells you about it, it’s in a bibliography, book review, etc., etc., etc. How do you get it? –Interlibrary loan (ILL)ILL –Boston Library Consortium (BLC) cardBLC

More Information on Bibliographic Formats Step-by-Step Guide to Doing Research: Use a Standard Format for Your BibliographyUse a Standard Format for Your Bibliography Ready Reference: Writer’s ResourcesWriter’s Resources At the Reference Desk: –Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York : Modern Language Association of America, (O'Neill Reference Desk LB2369.G ) –Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 6th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, (O'Neill Reference Desk LB2369.T8 1996)

Want help from a real person? Contact Michelle Baildon or other subject specialistsMichelle Baildon Visit or call (2-4472) the Reference Desk during these hourshours or online chat (Ask 24/7) reference help online chat