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Step One – Define your topic
Step Two – Determine the type of information needed
Step Three – Search for information
Step One – Define your topic
Getting started can sometimes feel like the most difficult part of the research process. Help define your topic by asking questions:
Step Two – Define the type of information needed
1. What types of resources are required?
Books
Articles on a topic
Articles from a specific journal
2. If articles are needed, how do I know if a publication is a scholarly journal or a popular magazine?
Journal articles:
Are written by experts in the field
Are peer-reviewed
Include reports of original research, or in-depth analysis of
issues related to the field
Use terminology and language specific to that field of study
Are written for other researchers in the field
Include bibliographies and extensive documentation
Magazine articles:
Are written by journalists and free-lance writers
Are not peer-reviewed
Cover current events, hot topics, popular culture
Use non-technical language
Are written for a broad and popular audience
Rarely cite any sources
Step Three – Search for information
Finding Books
CONSULS is the shared online library catalog for all 4 of the CSU libraries – SCSU, CCSU, ECSU, and WCSU, as well as the Connecticut State Library in Hartford. CONSULS will show you what is owned by each library, where it is located in the building, the call number of the book, and whether it is available on the shelf or already checked out.
You can search for books on a topic by using by a Keyword search; for finding books by a particular author, use an Author search; when you know the title of a book you are looking for, use a Title search. You can also search for a specific book if you know a few of the title words by using a Keyword search.
The two major book locations in Buley Library are the Circulating Collection, and the Reference Collection .
Circulating Books – Buley Library uses the Library of Congress Classification System; each call number begins with a letter that designates a major subject area. The call number serves as a specific address for where the book belongs on the shelf. The call number also groups books together by subject. When you find your book on the shelf, notice that there may be others located near it that relate to the same topic. Circulating books can be checked out for 28 days.
Reference Books - Excellent background information can be found in reference books such as subject encyclopedias . Subject encyclopedias help define a topic, provide a timeline of events, identify people associated with the topic, and supply good keywords to use later when searching for books or articles. These books do not circulate, but you are free to use them within the building, and to make photocopies.
You can find subject encyclopedias in the Reference Collection by using a Keyword search in CONSULS.
Type in “encyclopedia” followed by your general topic.
Examples:
encyclopedia and library science
encyclopedia and censorship
Selected Library and Information Science Reference Resources
Guides to Reference Sources
Guide to reference books Ref Z1035.1 G89 1996
Walford's guide to reference material: Science and Technology Ref Z1035.1.W33 1999
Walford's guide to reference material: social and historical sciences, philosophy and religion Ref Z1035.1.W33 2000
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia of library and information science Ref Z1006 .E57 2003
International encyclopedia of information and library science Ref Z1006 .I57 2003
Dictionaries
Dictionary for library and information science Ref Z1006 .R45 2004
Dictionary for school library media specialists Ref Z1006 .M43 2001
The ALA glossary of library and information science Ref Z1006.A48 1983
Harrod's librarians' glossary and reference book Ref Z1006.H377 2000
Biographical Sources
Who's who in library and information services Ref Z720.A4 W45 1982
Dictionary of American library biography Ref Z720.A4D5
Finding Articles:
To search for scholarly articles within journals, go to the Buley Library home page, and under Find Articles, click on Search Databases . This takes you to a long alphabetical list of all databases subscribed to by Buley Library, including databases that provide full text journal articles and newspaper articles. You can either go directly to a database (if you know the one you want), or use the “My Research is In” pull-down menu to find which databases would be the best for you to search for information on your topic. Listed below are suggested databases to use for doing research in the field of library and information science.
Library and Information Science Databases:
Other Databases useful for Library and Information Science research:
Selected Library and Information Science Association web sites
American Association of Law Librarians http://www.aallnet.org/
American Association of School Librarians http://aasl.org
American Library Association http://www.ala.org/
American Society for Information Science
and Technology http://www.asis.org/
Art Libraries Society of North America http://www.arlisna.org/
Association of Research Libraries http://www.arl.org/
International Federation of Library
Associations and Institutions http://www.ifla.org/
Medical Library Association http://www.mlanet.org/
Music Library Association http://musiclibraryassoc.org
Public Library Association http://pla.org
Society of American Archivists http://www.archivists.org/
Special Libraries Association http://www.sla.org/
How do I determine if Buley Library owns or has access to a particular journal?
Click on: Journal Locator (under Find Articles)
Type in the title of the journal (not the title of an article within a journal). The Journal Locator will tell you if Buley Library has access to the journal, and if it is available electronically, in print, in microfilm, or in microfiche. If you are working from a bibliography, or have a specific article citation, starting with the Journal Locator is a good approach.
How do I obtain materials I am unable to find in the Buley Library collections?
To obtain books not found in CONSULS, or articles not available through Buley Library's electronic or print collections, you can request the items through Buley Library's Interlibrary Loan service. Requests can be submitted electronically using the forms available on the Buley Library home page under Library Services, Interlibrary Loan.
Where do I go for help with my library and information science research?
Contact Susan Miller, at 392-8850, or by email at: millers5@southernct.edu
You can also ask for help at the Buley Library Reference Desk, on the First Floor of the Library.
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