Course Research Guide
COMP 100: Composition
Professor Maples, Spring 2008
Finding Books in Milne Library | Finding Books in Other Libraries | Finding Information on Issues | Finding Periodical Articles |Finding a Copy of a Periodical Article
Finding Books in Milne Library
- For example: 2/0 (two items available and on shelf)
- 1/1 (one item available and in circulation)
- CQ Researcher
- Includes substantial overviews of timely topics accompanied by history, tables, bibliographies, and notes.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library
- A collection of full-text electronic reference books covering many subject areas. The print versions of many of these are in the reference collection. They can be searched by keyword, a word in the title, source, subject, image caption, full text, and audience. Good for background or overview of topics. Most entries include a bibliography.
- Opposing Viewpoints
- Includes articles and topic overviews in full text.
- Public Agenda Online
- Web site that includes both in-depth analyses and opinion studies for major policy issues.
On the library web site, enter search terms in the box under Find Books & Media in the Library (Search the Catalog). Truncate or shorten terms using the *, if you are uncertain of the spelling, or if searching for variations of a word. For example, child* will find child, childish, children, children.
In any list of results, the number of items owned by the library will be followed by the number of items in circulation. A zero indicates that the item is not in circulation and should be on the shelf. A number following the slash indicates the number of items in circulation.
Note the call number for the item and consult Library Floor Plans to determine the location of the item.
Finding Books in Other Libraries
Worldcat is an online database listing materials in U.S. libraries and selected libraries throughout the world. Holdings are indicated for Milne Library, and the Stevens-German Library at Hartwick College. You can search by author, title, subject, and keyword. You can request items needed on ILLiad - Interlibrary Loan, for which a link is provided on the record for each item. You can also check out items at Hartwick College with your SUNY Oneonta ID card.
Finding Information on Issues
Finding Periodical Articles
Periodicals are publications that come out on a regular, or periodic, basis. Examples include newspapers, magazines, and journals. Scholarly, or peer-reviewed, periodicals are appropriate for more serious research, while magazines, or popular, periodicals are intended for entertainment or information for general audiences. See this Scholarly Journals v. Popular Magazine Articles handout to understand all the differences.
Central Search lets you search for articles in more than one database at a time. By doing this you can discover which databases are the best for your particular topic. Central Search doesn't let you use the more advanced and sophisticated features that each individual database offers, but it can be a good starting place. You can select which specific databases you'd like to search by going to Central Search using this link.
GENERAL
SUBJECT
Finding a Copy of a Periodical Article
- Locating the full text of the article in electronic form:
- If there is no full text with the citation for an article, click on Find It! If a full text of the article is available in another database, there will be a link connecting you to that database, where you can locate the article in the appropriate volume, or search for the article by title or author.
- You can also determine whether a periodical is available electronically by entering the periodical title in the search box on the library home page under Find Journals Available Electronically (Serials Solutions) and pressing Enter or Go. If the title is available in electronic form, check the coverage, and click on the database link(s) and search for the item(s) needed.
- Locating the article in print or microfilm, if unavailable in electronic form:
- Click on Search the SUNY Oneonta Catalog under "Additional Options for Finding Full Text." Type the title of the periodical in the search box above the phrase "Exact Title." Press "Go." If the title is listed, click on "Availability" and check to see if the volume needed is included in the "Summary Holdings." Note the location of the periodical title. Most periodicals will be in B2.
- Requesting an article on Interlibrary Loan:
- If you find an article from a periodical that is not available at Milne Library in any form, you can request the article through ILLiad - Interlibrary Loan through a link on the record for the article needed (see computer screen that comes up after you click on Find It!). Click on ILLiad Interlibrary Loan Request Form. You need to be registered to submit ILL requests. See a librarian for help.
Mary Lynn Bensen (bensenml@oneonta.edu) & Kay Benjamin (benjamkd@oneonta.edu)
Reference Librarians
Milne Library, SUNY College at Oneonta
Last revised April 2008
