INDEX

• The Library Research Cycle
• How do I pick a topic?
• How do I know if I need to narrow the topic, and how do I do that?
• How do I organize my search?
• How do I find books on my topic?
• How do I find articles about my topic?
• How do I know if NDSU has the journal?
• What if I can't find what I need in the PALS databases?
• How do I find other supporting information?
• How do I evaluate the information I find?
• How do I write the paper?

THE LIBRARY RESEARCH CYCLE

START EARLY


• Pick a general topic.
• Narrow the topic.
• State your specific information need in several clear, specific sentences.
• Write down key terms and synonyms.
• Formulate your search strategy.
• Choose the appropriate database(s).
• Conduct the information search.
• Evaluate your retrieved information.
• Modify your strategy and redo the search, if necessary.

HOW DO I PICK A TOPIC?

• Carefully read and follow the guidelines for the specific assignment.

• For ideas, consult any of the following:
  • Textbooks
  • Magazines or Journals
  • Newspapers
  • Television
  • The Online Catalog or other databases from the Library
  • People
  • Encyclopedias
  • Other

• Be prepared to modify or change your topic after conducting some library research.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED TO NARROW THE TOPIC, AND HOW DO I DO THAT?

One of the most common mistakes made by students when writing a paper: The failure to sufficiently narrow the topic.

• Use your common sense. For example: the topic "composites" is probably too broad.

• Conduct a preliminary literature search using the online catalog and other appropriate databases.

• Examine the results. If the search retrieves a large number of "hits", you probably need to narrow your topic. Even if you don't get a large number of "hits", consider whether the retrieved information will result in a well organized, coherent paper. If not, revise your topic.

• Look at the results of your general search and pick subtopics and synonyms.

• Modify your original search using the new terms. You can also use subject terms from your first search.

• Evaluate the results to see if enough information is available. By the way, the # symbol is the "truncation symbol" in the PALS databases. It represents any symbol or symbols, including a space. Appropriate use of truncation symbols will greatly enhance your literature search. Inappropriate use will give you a lot of garbage. For example, "rock#" will get you "rock", and "rocks", but also "rocker", "rocking", "rocket", "rockets", etc.

• To avoid the above situation, start your literature search as early as possible. Conduct a preliminary literature search to find out if material is available at all, and if it is available locally.

HOW DO I ORGANIZE MY SEARCH?

• Try to organize your thoughts into one or two clear sentences. For example, "I want to know how industry is using composite materials in the manufacturing of boats.

• Most "search engines" currently do not operate by using concepts. At this point, the computer programs simply match symbols. One "typo" can ruin your search. And if you typed in the concept above, the program would only retrieve items containing ALL of the main words: "want know how industry using composite .....". You get the idea. Your results would probably be "zero". So you need to reduce your topic to a few key words and synonyms of the key words.

• Write down key words and synonyms of the key words. It might help to use the following form until you get used to conducting searches. For example:

CONCEPT 1	(AND)	CONCEPT 2	(AND)	CONCEPT 3
composite		application#		boat
OR		OR		OR
composites		industry		boats
OR		OR		OR
laminated		industrial		marine
OR		OR		OR
laminates		manufacture		.
OR		OR		OR
multilayer#		manufactur#		.

HOW DO I FIND A BOOK ON MY TOPIC?

Use the NDSU Online catalog in the PALS system. There are two versions of PALS, Classic and Web. If you don't already know Classic PALS, try WebPALS, which is user-friendly.

For WebPALS, go to: http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/webpals.html. If you need help using WebPALS, ask at the Reference Desk, or try the Online Tutorial.

Make sure that you are in the Library Catalog database (file CAT in Classic PALS).

Books and Documents are on second floor of the Main Library. Books are shelved alphabetically by the Library of Congress "call number". Folios follow the Z's. The Documents follow the Folios, and are shelved by Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) call numbers. If the book record location begins with "Reference", it is in the reference area on first floor. Ask a Reference Librarian if you need help locating an item.

The catalog will indicate whether the book is available for checkout, and if the book is at Main or at one of the three branch libraries.

HOW DO I FIND ARTICLES ABOUT MY TOPIC?

If you are already in the PALS databases, click "Change library or database".

Pick the appropriate periodicals database. Consult a Reference Librarian if in doubt. For more scholarly journals, try "Expanded Academic Index" (under General Magazine Index). Click the box in front of "Expanded Academic Index", and then click the "Submit" button.

The full text of some articles is available from PALS. Those entries having full text are indicated with an asterisk (*) after the date.

For more help, go to the Online Tutorial.

HOW DO I KNOW IF NDSU HAS THE JOURNAL?

If the article appears in full text in General Magazines, then it doesn't usually matter whether NDSU has the journal...unless you need the illustrations.

If NDSU does NOT have any issues of the journal, "Library does not own citation title" will appear at "Location".

If NDSU owns ANY issue of the journal in question, the Dewey Decimal call number will appear at "Location". We may or may not own the particular issue you need, and it may be in either paper, microfiche, or microfilm. Check the printout at the Reference Desk for specific information about journals holdings. You may wish to check the CATALOG to see if we have the particular issue and what format it is in. This is easier to do in "Classic PALS" than in "WebPALS". Ask a Reference Librarian for help.

Remember that most electronic indexes only contain references to material published since the 1980's (the time period varies with database). If you need older material, you may need to use the print indexes. Ask a Reference Librarian.

Journals and Magazines are located in the basement by Dewey Decimal number. Current issues are shelved first, and then the numbers start over with older issues. Microfilm and microfiche are also in the basement, as are newspapers. There are microfilm and microfiche readers/printers in the basement also. There is a color scanner and color printer in the reference area.

WHAT IF I CAN'T FIND WHAT I NEED IN THE PALS DATABASES?

• NDSU subscribes to many other electronic indexes. These are subject-specific. Most of the materials indexed in these databases are scholarly, and more technical than articles indexed in the General Magazine index. Each set of databases (SPIRS, FirstSearch, MathSciNet, etc.) has unique features, different truncation symbols, different search strategies, etc.

  See "Tips for Effective Database Searching": http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/subjects/physci/tips.html. Ask a Reference Librarian if you need help.

  Truncation
  Boolean Operators
  Proximity/Adjacency

HOW DO I FIND OTHER SUPPORTING INFORMATION?

• Go to the Library Home Page: http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/ and click Reference and Research Services.

• Consult other print encyclopedias (reference area).

• Find specialized encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries by using the Online Catalog (PALS). For example, a keyword search or a subject heading-keyword search for "handbook# geology".

• Statistics: Finding specific statistics related to your subject may be more difficult than you might think. Start early and consult a Subject Librarian.

HOW DO I EVALUATE THE INFORMATION I FIND?

Ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Does this fit the requirements of the assignment?

• Does it fit my topic?

• Is it from the correct time period? (both the year of publication and the time period of my topic)

• Does the level of technical difficulty fit my needs? (Too technical? Not technical enough?)

• Is the information accurate, trustworthy, complete? (Who published it? What are the credentials of the author(s)? Is the journal refereed? Were there any comments about the article in subsequent issues of the journal?)

• Do I have enough information for this paper?

• If the information is from the Web, evaluation may be more difficult. Check the author (Was it a 6th grader?), the currency (When was the page posted, last update?), the source of the information (should be stated), how comprehensive, the general "tone".

For more information on Library Research Strategies, consult INFORMATION SEARCH STRATEGY

HOW DO I WRITE THE PAPER?

• Follow the guidelines given to you in the assignment.

• You may wish to consult SUGGESTED STEPS FOR WRITING A PAPER.

• Stop in at the Center for Writers in the Main Library. They are available to help you with any aspect of your paper. Check for their office hours.

• It is a good idea to use a word processor to write your paper. Corrections and editing are much easier. Do NOT use the computers in the Library Reference Area for word processing. Computer clusters are available for word processing in different areas of campus, including the second floor of the Library.

• Start early. Computer clusters may be full, or the one you planned on using may be booked for a class, or equipment may malfunction.

• Bring a disk, just in case.

• Back up your work frequently. Computer Glitches happen.

• START EARLY.

• Write the paper, put it aside for a day, and then re-read it. Edit as needed.

• Have someone else read your paper and give comments, but trust your own judgment.

• Use spell-check, but re-read the final version. Some embarrassing mistakes have been made by accidentally accepting a suggestion from a spell-checker!

• START EARLY! (I can't say this too much).

Return to: Navy Research Student Group Information Resources