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Guide Details

Summer 2009 - Ken Anderson - Liberal Arts Academy

 

Locating Background Resources

Search in your library's catalog or online in PINES, Georgia's shared public library catalog, to begin your search. Get a start on your research question, look for related search terms, and find more resources in the bibliographies of reference articles to help further your research.

Use reference sources like general and subject specific encyclopedias to find background information about your topic before you search library catalogs and subject databases. Browse the library's Reference Collection (located on the first floor) for background sources.

Recommended Background Resources:

 
 
 

 

Locating Books

Search in your library's catalog or online in PINES, Georgia's shared public library catalog, to begin your search.

Recommended Search Terms:

 

In PINES, use the "My Title Results" list on the left-hand side to help narrow down your search by:

  • subject
  • author
  • and more!
 
 

 

Locating Articles

In Galileo, you can search by your specific search term, browse by subject or type of resource you need, or view complete lists of databases and magazines that you have access to in Galileo.

Recommended Article Databases:

 

To find articles on any topic:

  • Academic Search Complete: This is the database to begin your research. It covers everything from religion to science to politics. ASC also contains both popular and scholarly literature.
  • Research Library: Similar to Academic Search Complete, this database includes some magazines and journals not found in ASC.

To find articles on a specific topic:

History:

  • Annals of American History: includes the full text and audio/video files of primary documents/recordings in American history, including historical accounts, speeches, memoirs, poems, editorials, landmark court decisions, and cultural criticism.
  • Digital Library of Georgia: includes Georgia's history and culture found in digitized books, manuscripts, photographs, government documents, newspapers, maps, audio, video, and other resources.

Science:

  • Environment Complete: articles on environmental topics.
  • MedlinePlus: Created by the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus provides easy to understand information on health-related issues.

English:

 
 

 

Evaluating and Citing Your Sources

Don't forget to evaluate your sources based on:

  1. Relevance
  2. Evidence
  3. Author of source
  4. Publisher of source
  5. Timeliness
  6. Comprehensiveness

Evaluating Sources:

 

Need help deciding if a source is right for your project? Use the Evaluating Sources Checklist (Bedford-St. Martin's) to help!