Research Tips
Learn techniques to help you conduct research, locate and use specialized resources, and write your research paper.

General Guides:

Internet Reference Shelf: Atlases, Phone Directories, Encyclopedias, Quotations, Weather, Weights & Measures, etc.
Glossary of Library Terms
Library of Congress Classification System Outline

Researching, Writing, & Assignment Tips:

LIT: Library Information Tutorial - An educational and interactive Web site designed to introduce you to research sources and improve library skills.
Assignment Planner
WWU Writing Center:  Getting Started Strategies / Descriptive Outline /  Thesis Statements  /   Writer Resources
Term Paper Research - Getting Started 
Background Research - Getting Started

Citation & Style Guides
Plagiarism
Anatomy of a Bibliographic Citation
What You Need to Cite a Source
How to Write Annotated Bibliographies
Evaluating Books
Evaluating Web Sites

Library Catalog search tips, special features, & services:

Find Books
Find Journals
Improve your search - using controlled vocabulary
Find Information on Microform
Requesting Materials that are currently checked-out
Use the Alert Service in the Library Catalog  - You can save frequently used searches in the library catalog, and have the new materials that match your search automatically emailed to you weekly!

Learn How to Locate Specialized Types of Resources:

Archaeological Site Reports, How to Locate
Biographical Information
Book Reviews
Dissertations and Theses
Encyclopedias and Specialized Dictionaries
Film Reviews
Job Hunting, Resumes & Internships
Literature Reviews
Newspapers and Newspaper Research Guides
Pictures, Illustrations, and other Visual Materials
Plays
Primary Sources
Speeches
Statistics
Videos: How to Locate

Government Information Guides
Find Government Information
Specialized Government Information
Congressional Record
Federal Statutes
Finding the Law: U.S. Federal
Timelines for studying Federal Laws
Finding the Law:  Washington
Finding the Law: Canadian Federal Laws

Learn How to Search for Articles Using Databases, Locate Journals & Newspapers in the Library, and Evaluate Journals and Journal Articles

How to locate articles in journals & magazines using databases
Newspapers and Newspaper Research Guides
Find Journals
Locating Journals: A Flowchart (how to locate materials in our collection, online, or request through Interlibrary Loan)
Identify Types of Journals: Scholarly, Popular, Trade  
Evaluate journals
Evaluate journal articles
Use Library Databases From Off Campus
Write a Search Statement  
Improve your search
Learn more about searching - tips

Guides to Using Specific Databases (Help is also linked from the database page)

Business
CCH User Guide
Choices III   help guide
Corporate Affiliations help guide
FARS - Financial Accounting Research System Database  help  guide
Mediamark Reporter  help guide
Mergent Online - help guide
Tablebase help guide

Social Sciences
How to do a Cited Reference Search using the Web of Science  help guide
The Social Science Citation Index: A Quick Guide to the Print Version  help guide

Last update: May 2008
Robyn Adcox