Research Skills beyond Google and Wikipedia Kathy Clarke Reference Librarian Carrier Library Office 115 clarkeke@jmu.edu or 568-2911

Quick Vote – What are your research favorites?

Reasons you need to use the library Good quality resources You are paying for it Your instructors and faculty expect you to Practice makes you better Practice will help in your major Being smart about your information universe

Getting Started Use This is a Web based tutorial designed to get you started doing research at JMU http://www.lib.jmu.edu/gold/default.aspx

Looking for Books Use LEO, the library catalog Library catalogs contain records or links to things (books, video, music, journals) that the library owns Consider using reference books

Consider a Reference Source Reference materials are designed to get you started or get you un-stuck They can help you pick a topic or narrow down one that is too big Sometimes these are “iffy” with your faculty, but try to talk them into it! Looks like this: Globalization defined, Oxford Reference Blackwell Reference Ask the encyclopedia – who has ever been told not to use an encyclopedia? Why do you think? Remind them they are there – use them to your advantage

Figuring out what kind of source to use Peace Train robberies of the 19th century Communication style differences between the sexes Symbolism in Jane Austen’s work Identity issues of Latina women The Basketball Rivalry between Duke and North Carolina

Consider a book - first Get over book anxiety – if you topic “fits” in a book , use a book Finding books is easy Go here: http://leo.jmu.edu/ Search by KEYWORDS Look for a useful SUBJECT from your keyword search Use the stack guide to find where your book lives

Articles Don’t browse for this, have a citation in hand You’ll be asked to find these for your class work ASK where you should look (either your instructor or at the library) Looking for full-text click here:

How to get help Email me: clarkeke@jmu.edu Come to the Reference Desk in Carrier or the CISAT library Call the Reference desk in Carrier – 568-6267 Use, Ask-A-Librarian (email, chat, phone) http://www.lib.jmu.edu/forms/ask.aspx BUT DON’T STRUGGLE OR WANDER AROUND!