Select a Topic Idea

Think about something you would like to know more about...

• a personal problem, a decision, or an important issue in your life
• a research project you will do for this class or for another class

Use one of the above as your research topic idea for this assignment

1. Write your research topic idea here:_____________________________________

This topic idea will evolve into a more formal thesis or focused research question as you continue your research

 Identify Keywords

2. Select the two or three words that best describe your topic and write them here

_____________        ______________         _______________    

These are the keywords you will use in your search

Search Article Databases

3. Use the Academic Search Elite article database to find articles or citations on your topic

To access Academic Search Elite:

• Double click on the Internet Explorer Icon on the desktop
• You will see the WSU Library home page at the following URL (uniform resource locator) http://library.weber.edu
  • Under Quick Links, click on Database Finder
  • Click on Academic Search Elite
• For off campus access enter as above and enter your 88...student ID number 
  • To get a student ID, you need a pin number. To get a pin number go to http://applications.weber.edu/SharedApps/pin.asp
  • To get your student ID number go to https://htmlos.weber.edu/cgi-bin/start.cgi/students/studid.html?group=regular

To use Academic Search Elite:

• Type a word or words that best describe your topic (use your keywords above) into the Find box. Use the Boolean AND  (for example: Utah AND Olympics) to limit and focus your search or select "all the words" 
• Notice that you may also Refine Search or Limit your search by
  • Selecting Full Text articles (the complete article is online)
  • Selecting scholarly Peer Reviewed or Refereed articles
• After entering your keywords, Click on Search

Review the results. Select two citations related to your topic

• Click on Add in right column and add two articles to your folder
• Click on the yellow folder near the top of the screen (it should now say: Folder has 2 items) 

Follow instructions carefully below to print two citations only

• For this exercise only we do NOT want the full text printed!
• After Delivery Options: Click on Print
• In the Print Manager be sure to UNCLICK HTML Full Text. (just for today's class)
• After unclicking the HTML Full Text (when available) box, click on Print, and Print or OK
• Pick up your one page printout from the printer on the counter in the front of the room
• Attach the printout to this exercise.  Ask for help as needed

There are many other article databases available, online and in print. From the library home page, select the Database Finder to see lists of databases by subject. To access databases if you are off-campus, use your student ID number that begins with 88....

4. Use the Database Finder to find SIRS Knowledge Source, another general article database. Use SIRS to find another article useful for your research. 

• From the Library home page see Quick Links
• Click on Database Finder
• Click on Title, then click on S.
• Click on Search in the big light blue box
• Click on SIRS Knowledge Source
• Click on Quick Search and enter keywords and search to find an article on your topic

Attach a printout of the article citation or reference, or the first page of the article, (NOT the full article, unless it is less than one page)

• Click on the linked title to see the full text of the article
• Click on Clean Copy for Printing 
• Click on Print, and the small print window will pop up
• In the small print window, be sure to select pages and enter  from page 1 to 1, or 1-1 to print only one page if you are in the classroom. Ask librarians for help as needed

When the articles you want are NOT available in full text... You will need to check the journal name in the Stewart Library Catalog under Journal Title Keyword to see if we own it and to get the call number to find it on the shelf If the library does not own the journal, you can order the article using Interlibrary Loan

Where are magazines, journals and newspapers in Stewart Library? Current Issues (new, unbound) are located in the Current Periodicals Collection on the Main level, South side Back Issues (older, bound) are interfiled with books in the General Collection, Second Level

Identify Types of Publications 

5. Review two of the articles you have found. Using the following definitions, what type of periodical publication(s) did you find?

Article 1 is a:________________________  Article 2 is a:___________________________

Use Reference Resources

What are reference books and databases and why are they useful? Reference books and databases are sources that you "refer" to, like encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, atlases, indexes and statistical sources. They are often a great place to begin or enhance research. Usually reference books are located in the reference area of a library. Many reference books and resources are now available full text on the Web.

To find encyclopedia articles on the Web

• Click on Home or go to the WSU Library home page at http://library.weber.edu
  • Click on Reference Resources
  • Click on Encyclopedias 
  • Click on Online Resources, click on EBSCOhost Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia or select another encyclopedia.

6.  Find an encyclopedia article on your topic or a broadly related topic. For off campus access use your student ID number.

• What was the title of the encyclopedia used?________________
• What was the title of the article you found?_________________

Now go on to Step 2: Finding Books                                                    

Last updated on 12/09/2003 . Please send comments and suggestions to Carol Hansen, chansen@weber.edu