College of DuPage Library

The Library has some books that you can check out. Some series that are good Pearson's A Short Guide to Writing About...(list your class subject here) series. You can search the catalog for those. You can also search the catalog for "research paper" in order to see more general guides. You can also contact a reference librarian online or in person at the reference desk to get good titles.

You can also use the following websites for step-by-step assistance:

• Writing a Research Paper (Purdue University)
• Writing the Research Paper (Dartmouth University)

First, check the assignment. Then ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you tie the question into your major somehow or another interest you have?
• Think about the research question, or thesis: How long is the assignment? A 5 page assignment will not give you enough space to write about the causes of climate change. You might be able to address the effects of climate change on the migratory patterns of animals, however.

Begin your search using the Library Catalog.

Check out the writing tutoring at the Learning Commons.

There are a couple of tools you can use, such as:

• The library guide to citing sources
• You can use NoodleBib. (Be sure to create an account the first time you log in.)
• Have a trickier question? Consult the MLA, APA, or Turabian style manual, which you can find in the catalog, or ask a reference librarian for help, and they can consult a style manual for you.

Check with your instructor to make sure that your paper falls within acceptable guidelines.

You can also look at Harvard's guide to Plagiarism.

• How old is the material? (Does that matter?)
• Who is the author and what is their expertise? College degree? Life experience? Intense interest?
• What is the purpose of the book?
• How does the information in the book or article compare to that you’ve found in other sources?

Look at our library guide to evaluating websites.

• Click on the Catalog link at the top of the library page.
• Enter at least 2 keywords in the catalog.
• If you get no results, check your spelling. If that’s correct, try searching under your most important keyword only.
• Look at the results that come up, and find the best book or DVD that matches your topic.
• Write down the call number, location, and notice the status of the book, DVD, or CD. Head to the reference desk in the library to learn how to physically locate the book.
• Look at the call numbers of all the items listed. Are they all in the same range? If so, you might want to head directly to that shelf to browse through the items.

• Do a title or a call number search in the Library Catalog for the item that you want.
• Bring up the item that you want on the screen and click on the REQUEST button that appears at the top of the page.
• Log in with your last name and library card number.
• Fill out the request form as completely as possible. You will be notified when the item is returned.

Start on the Databases page and select the subject that is closest to your topic.

• Read the database descriptions to see what kinds of information you can find in each database.
• Many databases will allow you to search for specific kinds of information, so look for links that allow you to limit by type of source (scholarly article, magazine article), date, or subject.

You can limit your search to professional journals in an article database by checking the box "peer reviewed". A peer-reviewed journal has articles that have been reviewed by a panel of experts before the article is published. This review process ensures that the article is of very high quality. Not all journals are peer-reviewed, however. Ask your instructor if he/she requires peer-reviewed journals for your research project.

Click on the “find this” link under the article title. This will launch a search of all of our databases to see if the article is online anywhere.

• If it is: click on the database name and open the article.
• If not, click on the Interlibrary Loan link that appears. Log in and fill out the form with your article’s information. You should get the material in about 5-7 days.

A magazine provides general information and entertaining reading to a wide audience. Magazines cover current news and general interest topics. Magazine articles are usually short and easy to comprehend by the general public. They rarely cite sources or include bibliographies. EXAMPLES: Newsweek, Psychology Today, Sports Illustrated, Glamour, and Business Week.

A journal reports scholarly, often original research conducted by professionals or experts in a given discipline such as medicine, psychology, or literature. Journal articles are often long, complex, and can be challenging reading for those unfamiliar with the field of study. They will include abstracts (summaries), footnotes, bibliographies. EXAMPLES: Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Journal of Accountancy, Ecology, Journal of American History, and The International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Still confused? Watch this video from Cornell University on Youtube.

Check the library's guide to research using websites.

You have several options:

• Come to the reference desk in the library during regular library hours
• Call the library reference desk at (630) 942-3364 or use email or chat
• Take a look at the research guide for your subject and use the sources described there. You can also contact the librarian listed to schedule a personal appointment.

If your professor has told you what sources you need (aka: 1 book source, 3 popular articles, 1 scholarly article), click to the next section.

If you are allowed to choose your own sources, consider the following:

• Books tend to have more general information, more background information, and to be written for a general audience
• Scholarly articles tend to be written with up-to-the minute information for an expert audience, and focused on a very narrow topic.
• Magazine articles tend to be written for a general audience, up-to-date, and broad in covering ideas.

Now that you have background information, start to narrow the focus of your research. What interests you?

Start to brainstorm possible keywords related to your topic. Try to come up with either single words or two word phrases that encapsulate your topic. See the library's guide to picking a topic for more information.

Search the library catalog for a general topic, such as “African American” and “encyclopedia”

You can also look at the subject-based research guides to see if a librarian has recommended a specific online or print place to start your research.

Reference books are shelved in a special area of the library. If you need help locating one, head to the reference desk.

Online reference sources are usually made up of articles pulled out of academic dictionaries and encyclopedias. Start at the reference database page to find different library sources. Here are a couple of options to help you get started:

• Credo and Gale provide definitions of different academic subjects and concepts.
• CQ Researcher and Issues and Controversies both discuss current events, with lots of data and background information.
• Even looking at a Wikipedia article will get you a sense of the state of the subject: basic facts and current developments.
• There are other specialty reference sources that you can use, depending on your topic. Skim through the descriptions of the databases listed on that page to find the best match.