Library research steps
Library Research, Instructions
Using each of the library resources listed below:
1. online encyclopedias,
2. the library catalog, and
3. article databases,
you will identify several credible sources of information for your informative speeches.
After reviewing them on your own and with your teacher, you can narrow your selections down to the best three.
1. Find reference materials
Find encyclopedia entries on your topic. You can search Gale EBooks a collection of online encyclopedias, or Springerlink, (see the links, below), as well as many other electronic reference resources.
As you scan through your search results, what new terms do you see that might help you with the other library search tools? Are there people, events or concepts that expand your knowledge? Write them down for use in the next steps.
Using encyclopedias first can help you get a better understanding of your research topic and will give you a stronger vocabulary to continue your research in other library tools.
- Gale eBooks This link opens in a new windowThousands of single and multi-volume encyclopedias and other reference works, across multiple disciplines | Find factual information and explore a variety of subjects | Searchable and browsable
- Springer Nature Link This link opens in a new windowFull-text E-books and Book Chapters | Publication Dates from 2005-2024 | Peer Reviewed Journals
2. Find books on your topic
Find books by searching the library catalog. Start at the library home page and select “Books & Movies tab.”
Use your school library catalog, or limit your search results from Booth Library to electronic books you can access online.
- Library Catalogsearches EIU's print and electronic library holdings.
A search results screen limited to electronic books
- Finding and retrieving books from EIU's Booth Library (the quick version)
Guide to searching Booth's library catalog, and finding the materials on the shelf. Video, 2:01 eiu.libguides.com/findabook
3. Find magazine, newspaper or journal articles
If your search doesn’t produce high quality or relevant results, think about different ways to express the idea and try different terms. Your instructor or a librarian can be helpful with this.
Which databases should I search?
Researchers use scholarly journal articles to communicate with each other. It is how they report their research to other scholars in the field. You can search for information in journal articles by using article databases licensed by Booth Library. These will also help you find magazine and newspaper articles.
- Search EBSCO databases using the library articles tab
Learn to use the articles search to identify articles from journals, magazines and newspapers, limit them to relevant resources and retrieve the articles for free, even if EIU doesn't subscribe.
Don't pay for articles!
Although you can find research articles on free search engines, it is harder to figure out the credibility of what you are looking at, and often you'll be faced with a paywall when you try to download or read the article. Library databases provide the articles free of charge. If the article is not immediately available, you can often retrieve it or request it (again, free!) within a few clicks using the "Get Full Text" link.
What is "Get Full text?"
The databases you search from the library home page should be enough for you to find relevant information for your speeches. For a longer list of EBSCO and other databases, follow the links to the A-Z database list on the library home page.
