HANDOUTS

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Amy Goodloe (c) 2009

Contact me if you'd like to use any of these materials or if you have suggestions or comments.

GUIDE TO ACADEMIC RESEARCH
(last revised 10/5/08)

Follow the instructions in this guide to conduct research for your papers. You will be required to find sources in library databases, and even if you’re already familiar with these databases you will most likely learn something new from this guide. Using Google and Google Scholar will not be enough as these do not give you access to materials found only through subscription databases.

WHAT IS A LIBRARY DATABASE?
A library database contains articles that are not available for free on the web. These articles are available only to individual or institutional subscribers who pay a fee to use the databases. As a CU student, you have institutional access to the databases as long as you access them from campus or via a VPN connection to the campus network. (You can find a link to more info about VPN connections at the bottom of the handout.) Many publishing companies make their publications available only through these databases as a way of making money and preserving copyrights. Having access to the databases is part of the privilege of being affiliated with a research university.

You should plan to do most of your research for your papers by using the library databases rather than free search engines like Google. While you can find many useful things through Google, particularly general conversations about the issue, you will not be able to find articles in many scholarly journals, academic and professional publications, and public affairs magazines because these are not available for free. The full text of these articles is also often unavailable through Google Scholar.

WHAT CAN I FIND WITH A DATABASE?
Different databases index different kinds of articles, so using only one database will never be enough. Some databases take a broad approach, indexing articles from the most well-known of a wide variety of publications from multiple disciplines. These databases, such as Academic Search Premier, are often a great place to start your search. Academic Search Premier indexes articles from scholarly journals, professional and public affairs publications, academic conferences, organizations, and even major magazines and newspapers.

When you’re ready to look for more specific or in-depth information, try more specialized databases. For example, while Academic Search Premier might index articles from the largest psychology and economics journals, specialized databases like PsychINFO and EconLit are more likely to index articles from all of the journals in either discipline. You can also narrow your search within a broader database to search only for peer-reviewed scholarly articles in a specific date range.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information and help with a variety of issues relating to online research, see this “How do I…?” page of useful links.

If you’re on campus, you might want to drop by the Research Center for assistance tracking down the kind of information you need for your project. The Research Center is next to the Writing Center in Norlin Library.

© 2010 Amy Goodloe