Distributed Learning - Library Services  Tags: education forensic_nursing business nursing distance_learning distributed_learning extended_campus  

Are you working on a project for class? Do you have to write a research paper? Here are some tips for getting started!

In searching for information from print and electronic resources, finding too much is just as frustrating as finding too little. Some information will be irrelevant, out-dated, or not appropriate for your project. The first step is to think about what type of material and resources will best fit your information needs. Begin by asking yourself the following questions:

• How much time do I have to gather needed information? Remember, research takes time.
• Who is my intended audience? How much background information, if any, will I need to provide for them?
• Is there a specialized vocabulary for my topic or discipline? Do I need to define such terms? Will synonyms help?
• Do I need to use plural or singular forms, spelling variants, or acronyms? Have there been name changes, e.g. Ceylon to Sri Lanka, Esso to Exxon?
• Do I need books, articles, other materials or a mixture? Do I need current information (try magazines or newspapers) or historical, background information (try books, articles and encyclopedias) or research/empirical studies (try peer-reviewed, scholarly articles).
• Does my professor have any special criteria or restrictions that I need to follow? 
• Do I need primary sources, secondary sources or both?
  • What is a Primary Source?
    • When you write a poem, paint a picture, create a blog. conduct an experiment, or give an interview you are creating a primary source. These are the original documents that people will use create their own research.
    • They are used to help understand historical time periods or specific people'e perspectives of the world.
    • Newspapers, when used to understand the history of an event or issue are often considered primary sources.
  • What is a secondary source?
    • The critique or the poem or picture, the article writen about the experiment, the essay written about the historical time period are the secondary sources. These are often what students use as sources for their own research papers.
    • Academic/Scholarly articles and books are secondary sources.
    • They analyze or explain the primary documents.

The next step is to develop your search strategy by summarizing your topic and identifing the key concepts:

• Most topics can be broken down into two or three main concepts. Once you have each main concept, think of synonyms, broader, narrower, and related terms. Check the database thesaurus, if there is one, to help you determine some of these terms.
• Combine all your concepts and terms with Boolean Operators
  • "AND" - use this to connect terms that must be in a record or citation. This will narrow a search as both terms must be present in a record.  Use this between each concept since each concept must come back in your results.
  • "OR" - use this to connect synonyms. This will broaden a search since only one term specified must be present to be identified.  Use this between your synonyms, boarder, narrower, and related terms since any of them can come back in your results.
  • "NOT" - use with caution since this will eliminate records with the specified term. Be very careful when you use this as it eliminated anything that mentions the word your eliminate. 
• Make the database work for you.  Select "Advanced Search" or a similar option.  Most databases give you multiple search boxes for your concepts and terms.  Use each box for 1 concept and it's terms. They also have a HELP feature to give you tips for using the database, such as whether you need to use quotation marks for phrases, truncation, etc. 
• Remember, not everything you may need is on the Internet or in a full-text database.

If you need assistance in using the catalog and/or online resources, finding materials related to your topic, or any other information please ask a Librarian.

• Make an appointment with Linda LeBlanc, Access Services Librarian. You can "meet" me online through Elluminate, email or IM. We can "meet" over the phone 978-665-3062. You are also always welcome to come to the library and meet in person.
   
  
• Ask the Librarian Subject Specialist. Contact the Librarian who is the liaison for your subject content. Select the subject area from our Research Guides for Majors list; the librarian's name and email address is listed under the Librarian Contact section.
  
  
• Ask a Librarian at our Reference Desk
  Email: fsclibrary@fsc.edu
  Phone local: 978-665-3223
  
  Reference service is available in person at the Reference Desk, by phone and by email on a first come/first served basis during regular hours of operation. A reference librarian will respond as quickly as possible to all email and voicemail messages.

Not sure what databases, journals and other resources are available in your subject area? Check out our Research Guides for Majors. The librarian subject specialists have created them to provide a great place to for you to see the wide range of resources we have through the Gallucci-Cirio Library.