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Research Basics

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Research Basics

Guides for starting your research, locating resources via the library, and using the information you find.

Table of Contents:

Starting Your Research
Finding Resources
Evaluating Information
Using the Information You Find

Starting Your Research

Library 101 (.pdf)
Anxious about using the Library? Here is a guide with some tips to help you get your research papers done quickly and painlessly.

How to Find Hot Topics
Having trouble selecting a topic for your research paper? This guide will give you some suggestions and list resources that will help you select a topic and find background information on that topic at the same time.

Information Cycle (.pdf)
Not sure what type of resources you need (books, websites, journals, etc.)? Learning about the information cycle can help you decide.

Library Resources and Services for Graduate Students (.pdf)
An introduction to using the Library, specifically for graduate students.

Minnesota History Day/Primary Resources
Resources for students working on Minnesota History Day projects. Please note that some of the databases are only accessible within the library.

Finding Resources

Locating Scholarly Articles (.pdf)
A guide to help you find scholarly articles using the Miller Center Library (physically and online).

Scholarly Journal v. Popular Magazine Articles (.pdf)
A useful guide to help you decide if an article is popular or scholarly.

Scholarly vs. Popular Materials Guide (NCSU)
Guide to distinguishing between scholarly journals and popular magazines, but also including information about trade or professional journals and magazines.

MnPALS Guide (.pdf)
Tips for using the online library catalog.

Evaluating Information

Assessing the Credibility of Online Sources from SCSU's Project LEO
Provides criteria to use when evaluating online sources for appropriate use in your papers and assignments.

How to Evaluate Journal Articles (CSU)
Provides tips on assessing the quality and usefulness of articles you find while doing research.

How to Evaluate Books (CSU)
Provides tips on assessing the quality and usefulness of books you find while doing research.

How to Evaluate a Web Page (CSU)
Provides tips on assessing the quality and usefulness of websites you find while doing research.

How to Evaluate Web Sites (UNT)
Tips for evaluating information you find on the Web. From the University of North Texas Libraries.

Evaluation Criteria (from The Good, the Bad & the Ugly)
Describes the criteria necessary for evaluating information on the Web, with sample Web sites as examples for each criterion.

Judging Quality on the Web (UCLA) (.pdf)
Offers tips to help you evaluate critically Web resources for use in your research papers and assignments.

Using the Information You Find

Citation Styles (APA, MLA, etc.)
Consult examples of APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian and other citation style formatting.

RefWorks Basics (.pdf)
A one-page guide with directions for managing citations and creating bibliographies in RefWorks.

Page Coordinator: Melissa Prescott mkprescott@stcloudstate.edu
This URL: http://research.stcloudstate.edu/page.phtml?page_id=366