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ENGL 215: Realism, Race, and Photography (HC) Fall 2017

English 215: Realism, Race, and Photography (Reckson) Fall 2017

Finding Articles

The databases listed below work differently than Google or other websites you're used to searching. Here are some things to keep in mind as you go about the research process: 

  • Choose a database(s) thoughtfully -  Even the most targeted search terms will not yield relevant results if the database does not contain materials related to your research topic. It is therefore crucial to spend a little time determining which database(s) is right for you. 
  • Know how the database(s) you've chosen works - Given that every database has its own particular search functionality, a search that may work in one database may not work in another.  That makes it worthwhile to do some preliminary exploration of a database's search options. 

  • Choose your search terms carefully -  Develop search terms that address the major aspects of your research project. Especially when you're starting out, you should try out broad terms so that you retrieve as many relevant materials as possible. This goal can also be achieved by coming up with synonyms for your terms. As your project develops, you will want to use terms that are more narrow in order to retrieve materials that speak to your particular scholarly interests
To identify subject-specific databases not listed below, use Research Guides.
 
While most of the articles in these databases have been peer-reviewed - meaning that they have been vetted by experts in the field - some have not. To retrieve only peer-reviewed articles, you should click on the "peer-reviewed" box in the advanced search screen of the database you have chosen.  
 

Once you have found a relevant article (s), click the  button to access the full text. If the library does not own the article you are interested in, you can still access it through an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request. This request can be made through the "Find it" page or you can go directly to the ILL Request Form

Finding Books

All books owned by libraries in the tri-co can be accessed through Tripod

To find books that are relevant to your research topic, you can begin by developing search terms that speak to your particular interests. 

Once you've identified a relevant book, you can find more like it by looking at the "Similar Items" list on the right-hand side of the catalog entry. 

You can also find more related books by searching on the subject headings that have been applied to the book you have identified. 

Beyond the Tri-College Collections

If you are interested in a book not owned by the Tri-College Libraries, you should first turn to E-ZBorrow, which gives you access to book collections at a number of local colleges and universities. It usually takes about three days for E-Z Borrow books to arrive. 

Books not available through E-Z borrow can be obtained through Interlibrary Loan (ILL), and will arrive, once you submit the form, in as little as four to five days. 

To get bibliographic information on books not owned by the Tri-College Libraries, you can turn to WorldCat. This is a combined library catalog containing more than 179 million records describing items owned by libraries around the world. Many of these titles are available to you though interlibrary loan.

Literature References Sources