This page is a general guide to doing research for WR123 classes at Chemeketa Community College. If you are preparing a potential source list, more specific information for that assignment is available on the Potential Source List page. Instructions for citing indexes and abstracts on the potential source list assignment are available on the How to Cite Indexes for a List of Possible Sources page.
In order to do research, you will need to come up with a sufficiently refined topic, and the right search terms. The resources below may be of help to you.
Many fields and areas of study have subject encyclopedias that cover topics specific to that field. Subject encyclopedias cover topics that may not be included in general encyclopedias. They also go into more depth on topics and may use more technical language. They may also be called special or subject encyclopedias. They are an excellent place to:
Use the encyclopedia's index (usually at the end) to help you find topics. In reading an article, make a note of any special terms you might use later to find more information. Keywords may consist of:
or any other word or phrase that relates especially to your subject.
Just as there are field-specific encyclopedias, there are field-specific dictionaries. These may help you understand and use the terminology that is specific to your subject matter.
art AND dictionar*
The asterisk (*) is a truncation character that tells the computer to find any word that begins with "dictionar" or "encycloped." That is: dictionary, dictionaries, encyclopedia, encyclopedias, encyclopedic.
In the list of results, click on the title of a book to find its location. The book will probably be in the Reference section, shelved according to the call number.
If the library does not have a subject dictionary or encyclopedia on the specialized subject, try a slightly broader search. For example, if your topic is emeralds, you will find that Chemeketa has encyclopedias of gemstones, but no dictionaries of gemstones. You might try a keyword search for "mineral* AND dictionar*" to help you find a pertinent dictionary.
Here are several other reference sources you can use to help you find keywords for searching. They are books whick are basically lists of possible search terms.
Another technique to find search terms is to try some keyword searches in periodical databases, described below. If you find at least one article that seems to be focused on the subject you want, click on the article title to see more information.
For example, let's say you want to find journal articles about children who sexually abuse other children. You're not sure what keywords to use. Looking in the online subject headings for the Academic Search Premier database, you see that the database uses "Child sexual abuse" to describe sexual abuse of children. When you search on "Child sexual abuse" you find thousands of articles, most about abuse of children by adults. So you try the following search:
child sexual abuse AND other children
The hope is that at least some articles will talk about children sexually abusing other children. You find an article on "Children who molest other children."
One of the Subject terms listed for this article is "Children -- sexual behavior." This is another heading you may use.
The abstract of the article says in part:
A review of the literature on child sexual abuse perpetrators and their victims ... techniques for counselors who deal with sexually aggressive children.
You note the phrases, "child sexual abuse perpetrators" and "sexually aggressive children" as possible search terms. Looking at the article itself, you note more terms in the text and in the titles of the author's references:
Searching on these phrases will help you to find more articles.
As in the search for subject encyclopedias, above, you can use the library catalog to find books. The catalog page has links for information on how to use the catalog, and how to request a book from another library in our system.
By clicking the "Summit" button on the catalog's search results screen, you can pass your search through to the Summit catalog. Summit contains the records not only of Chemeketa, but of most of the four-year colleges and universities in Oregon and Washington, and is a great resource for finding scholarly books on a subject. You may request and borrow books through Summit. Instructions are available at .
Electronic books: You will find Chemeketa e-books in the catalog; they are accessible by going to NetLibrary.
You can also use the catalogs of other libraries. You can also search in the individual catalog of a library that you know has information on your topic. For example, you might look in the National Library of Medicine catalog for material on a medical subject.
If you need a book not in our library system, you can request an interlibrary loan by filling out a form. Please allow time for an interlibrary loan, which may take a week or two.
To check out Chemeketa books in the library you need a student I.D. card or a CCRLS public library card. Please contact the MAPS desk in the Bookstore (Building 1) for a student I.D. card. You can return our books to any public library in Marion, Polk, or Yamhill counties. If the book you want is at another library, it can be sent here for you.
For borrowing at libraries in the Summit system, please check the policies of the lending and pickup libraries for information on the form of identification required. Most books check out for three weeks; audiovisual material checkes out for three days.
The word "periodical" refers to magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals. Newspapers and popular magazines like People, or Road and Track, are familiar to everyone. Scholarly journals (also called academic, professional, or peer-reviewed journals), are written by experts for other experts. They are considered more authoritative than most other sources, because each article is written by experts and reviewed by a panel of experts from the same field before publication. In-depth research will require you to find scholarly journal articles on your subject.
| Popular magazines | Scholarly journals |
| Use everyday language | Use technical language |
| Written for the general reader | Written for experts by other experts |
| Do not include references to sources of information used to write the article | Include a list of references at the end of the article |
| Are often colorful and designed to attract attention | Often have dull covers and titles like "Journal of ...," "Proceedings of ..." |
Most of the EBSCOhost databases listed below have a check-off option for scholarly journals, making it easy to limit your search to peer-reviewed publications.
Periodical indexes are found on the library's catalog and index computers, on the index table, and on the reference bookshelves. Paper copies of journals are shelved in the periodicals area.
To access databases such as the EBSCOhost databases listed below, go to Library's Online Databases - http://newterra.chemeketa.edu/library/information/database.htm. If using databases from off campus, you will need your My Chemeketa user name and password.
If you find an article not in full text or in Chemeketa's printed collection, you can request an interlibrary loan directly from the EBSCOhost record. Scroll down on the page that shows the abstract of the article to find a link that says, "Request interlibrary loan (~10 days to 2 weeks)." When you click on this link a form will open which you can fill out and submit.
Additional databases are found on Chemeketa's databases page under Supplementary Online Databases - http://newterra.chemeketa.edu/library/information/supplement.htm.
The library has 30 general-use computers with connections to the Internet. These computers are available on a checkout basis for a maximum of 2 hours a day. Ask at the Circulation Desk. You may also use the computers in the Library Instruction Room when it is not scheduled for a class. A schedule is posted at the door. Please put your student ID in the holder on top of the monitor.
To find sites on the Internet, try some of the resources below:
Check the Research Tips document for advice on thinking about topic and evaluating materials.
Further assistance: Ask for help at the Reference Desk or call Reference at (503) 399-5231. You can also e-mail requests for assistance to reference@chemeketa.edu.
Updated: March 2008
Comments: reference@chemeketa.edu
or call (503)399-5231.
Address of this page:
HTTP://newterra.chemeketa.edu/library/instruction/handouts/WR123.htm