University of West Georgia Library
UWG Home Library Home
UWG Home  | BanWeb
myUWG  | MyWebCT
  Library Home
Catalog | Databases | GALILEO | Journal Locator | Requests

Introduction to Online Library Research

This session provides a basic introduction to Ingram Library's online research environment, highlighting the electronic tools necessary for finding books, articles, and other materials. The class also takes students through some of the initial stages of the research process, from topic selection to search query development. Students will learn how to navigate the library's website, search the catalog, and access databases that are appropriate to their research topics.

FINDING A TOPIC FOR A RESEARCH PAPER

Selecting a topic is possibly the most difficult part of doing research. Your instructor may assign a general or specific topic, or you may be asked to choose a topic on your own.

If you are asked to choose your own topic, you should choose one that interests you personally and provides you with the opportunity to expand your knowledge by considering various points of view. A good topic should be:
  • Interesting to you (if not, you'll be bored and won't do a good job on the paper)
  • Well defined (it helps to have a thesis statement, something you are trying to prove or disprove, or a question you want to answer)
  • Neither too broad, too narrow, nor too recent (if it's too broad, your paper will necessarily be shallow and you won't get a good grade! Too narrow, and you won't have enough to say to fill the number of pages your instructor requires. Too recent, and you will probably not be able to find enough information in reliable sources.)
  • Researchable (before you commit, make sure there are enough resources available to write a good paper; a Reference Librarian can help you with this.)

    Suggestions for finding a topic:
  • Talk to your instructor (don't be afraid: professors love to be consulted!)
  • Identify your interests. (what are your likes/dislikes / what "causes" are you passionate about? / has there been something in the news over the past
         few years that has made you realize you have a strong opinion about something?
  • Look through your textbook
  • Browse through recent issues of journals, magazines or newspapers
  • Look through the index and the article titles in either a general or subject-specific encyclopedia that covers the field your class is about.

    Start your research early! If you need to get materials from some other library, that doesn't happen overnight! Anticipate your needs!

    Once you have identified a topic, you might find it useful to get some general background by reading up on your topic in a source such as an encyclopedia. A good one to choose would be the Encyclopaedia Britannica Online.

    FINDING BOOKS

    Books can be an excellent source of information on a variety of topics, particularly if the information you need does not have to be completely current--because it usually takes at least 2 years for a book to get written and then published.

    The first place to find books is the Library's online catalog. If you are looking for a specific book, the best place to begin is Exact Search, using the AUTHOR or TITLE of the book you are looking for. If you do not have a particular book in mind, then you can begin with a KEYWORD search.

    If you can't find anything on your topic in the Library's catalog, it may be because you are looking under too narrow a subject. Remember that books are a lot longer than journal articles, often cover many topics, AND the individual chapters are NOT indexed in the Library catalog--so think BROAD when looking for books...think about whether--realistically--an entire book could be written about your subject, or whether it's probably part of some larger topic.

    If you still can't find anything in the Library catalog on your subject, or can't find enough material, here are 2 other things to try:

  • Ask a Reference Librarian. Trained professionals are waiting at the Reference Desk for you to come in or call them to ask for their help! call 678-839-6495 during the hours the Library is open, or email ASKAL@westga.edu.

  • Try the GIL Universal Catalog, to see if other libraries in the University System have what you need.

    FINDING JOURNAL ARTICLES

    Journal articles will usually be a main source of information for your project. The first thing you need to do before you get started is obtain the current Library/GALILEO password, so you can access the information you need from wherever you are working. Although the password is not needed if you are researching while on-campus, chances are, at some point, you'll need to work from somewhere else. Also, the password changes every semester, so you need to know how to get it so that you can always access the databases you need.

  • Choosing the right database for your topic.
    Journal articles are indexed in databases or print indexes, but you need to find the right one(s) in order to locate journal articles on your topic.

  • If you are doing a paper for a Freshman or Sophomore level class, you may be able to get all you need from one of the general databases that cover all subjects. If you go the Library's Databases by Subject Area page and click on General Databases, you will be taken to them. For the majority of such topics, use Academic Search Complete @ EBSCOHost and Research Library @ ProQuest, because both of these cover just about all subjects and contain many full-text articles--so you won't even have to come to the Library to get them.

  • If you need more specialized indexes, either ask a Reference Librarian for help, or try going to the Research Guides by Subject page and selecting the appropriate discipline for the course you are taking. Once you have chosen the subject area you want, click on Indexes to get suggestions for databases in which you might want to begin your research.

  • Using Databases

    Every database is different, but here are some general tips which usually work with any of them.
      1. Begin by doing a keyword search, using 2 or 3 of the main words you would use to describe your subject.

      2. Look over the titles of the articles that were retrieved, and when you see an article that seems relevant, click on the title so that you can view more information about it.

      3. Next, look for Subject Headings or Descriptors assigned to the article. If you find some that seem to describe your topic very well, re-do your search using those specific descriptors or subject headings to get articles that are more closely-focused and appropriate for your subject.

      4. Always: try the HELP to get tips on effective searching in the database you are using--every database has HELP

    THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE INGRAM LIBRARY WEBSITE

  • Get to the Library's homepage by clicking on Library on the UWG homepage
  • Need to know the Library hours? Click HERE
  • DON'T go directly to GALILEO, even your instructor told you to. If you do, you'll miss out on all the great databases that we subscribe to, which are
         NOT on GALILEO! Instead, click on Databases so you can see all the GALILEO databases PLUS the ones that West Georgia has paid for!
  • To find out if we have a specific journal, click on Journal Locator at the top of the page
  • A librarian may have already taught a library skills class and created a website for the course you are now taking. To find out if there is one, click on
         Guides & Tutorials > Course-Specific Guides.
  • Do you need an article in a journal Ingram Library doesn't have? You can get a copy from InterLibrary Loan: just click on Requests at the top of the
        page, then Interlibrary Loan.
  • Need help getting your citation right for your paper? All kinds of Style Guides are available at the Library's Citation & Style Guides site: http://www.westga.edu/~library/nav/citguide.shtml
  • Would you like to contact the librarian who is the Subject Specialist for your area? On the Library homepage under About the Library, click Contact Information, then Subject Librarians.
    • Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, UWG
    1601 Maple St - Carrollton, GA 30118-2000
    Library Information - (678) 839-6350
    Reference Desk - (678) 839-6495
    Send Comments to the Library
    Ask-a-Librarian
    http://www.westga.edu/~library/depts/li/tutorials/old_intro.shtml
    Last Modified: 24 October 2007