The purpose of this course research guide is to acquaint you with some of the resources in the University Library and on the World Wide Web useful for doing research on your paper topic. Should you have questions, stop by the Reference Desk on the first floor. You may also call the Reference Desk at (334) 229-4110 during the hours the Library is open.

Reference Sources

Sources in the Library's Reference Collection and similar sources online are a great place to start your research. They'll provide background information on your topic and can help you find brief factual information quickly. As you explore these sources, write down words that describe your topic. You'll be able to use these later when you search for articles and books. Also make a note of people and organizations related to your topic.

Subject Encyclopedias

Subject encyclopedias focus on specific subject areas. Below are a few examples of these encyclopedias that might be useful for your topics. Ask at the Main Reference Desk on the first floor for assistance with finding others.

• International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family
  Main Reference: HQ 9 .E58 2003
• The Family in America: An Encyclopedia
  Main Reference: HQ 536 .H39 2001
• Human Sexuality: An Encyclopedia
  Main Reference: HQ 9 .H86 1994
• Encyclopedia of Birth Control
  Main Reference: HQ 766 .R46 2000
• Great Athletes
  Main Reference: GV 697 .A1 G68 2002
• Encyclopedia of Ethnicity and Sports in the United States
  Main Reference: GV 709.5 .E83 2000

CQ Researcher

Each CQ Researcher (ASU) report focuses on a single topic related to social, economic, political, health, or environmental issues. They provide a chronological overview and detail recent developments and opposing viewpoints. Each includes a bibliography that can lead you to other sources of information on your topic.

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Magazine, Journal, & Newspaper Articles

The best method for finding magazine, journal, and newspaper articles is to use one of the Library's online article databases. These are easily accessible in the residence halls and off campus by clicking on the database name and typing in the information requested. If you need additional assistance with accessing the databases, contact Cedric Davis (334 229-6998) or Randy Curtis (334 229-5604).

Try searching in these databases for your articles.

• Academic Search Premier (ASU) - magazines and journals
• Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe (ASU) - newspapers

While you'll find the text of many articles in these databases, some articles are not full text. If the text of an article is not available in the database you are searching, first check for the magazine, journal, or newspaper title in:

• Serials Solutions (ASU) - Is it available in another database?

If you don't find it listed in Serials Solutions, check HORNetCat, the Library's online catalog. Type in the the magazine, journal, or newspaper title and click on Journal Title in the Find Results in box.

• HORNetCat - Is it available in the Serials Department on the Library's third floor?

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Books

Because of their length, books provide a more in-depth look at topics than articles do.

• HORNetCat - books in the Library
• netLibrary (ASU) - ebooks

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Citing Your Sources

A copy of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is available at the Main Reference Desk on the first floor of the Library.

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Your Comments

Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think about this guide. Has it helped with your research? Do you have any suggestions for improving the guide? You may e-mail Marsha V. Taylor (mvtaylor@alasu.edu) or call her at (334) 229-6839 with your comments and suggestions.

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