The starting place for your library search is through your research question. A well articulated, focused question is required for an effective search of article databases and library catalogs. Without a good question it is difficult to determine the terminology for your search. If you don't have a well defined research problem, don't panic! At least not yet. Use the library to come up with your research problem. Search Skyline for subject encyclopedias and browse the current periodicals area to see what other researchers are doing. With every thing you read ask, "Why?" or "How would results be different if. .?"
Tip: in the discussion section of many research articles the author proposes further areas of inquiry. This means they are giving you ideas
Reference tools Encyclopedias, dictionaries: Tools for learning the vocabulary of a discipline. Tip: A word search in Skyline using your term and the word "encyclopedias" will pull up specialized encyclopedias on the topic (example: aeronautics and encyclopedias). This also applies to "dictionaries" and "video".
- Auraria Library's Online Resources and Databases
Find journal articles using databases that Auraria Library has purchased for researchers and students. Select a database according to it's scope and how well it matches your topic. Some databases cover a wide range of disciplines and some contain both scholarly and popular articles.
Tip: Start with the 'Recommended Multi-subject Databases' listed on the Article databases and indexes web page. CQ Researcher is an excellent database to search for topics in the news and for controversial issues. You can select databases by subject such as:
News and Newspapers - for local issues go to America's Newspapers and select Colorado Newspapers.
Medicine - by doing this you will get all the databases on the topic of medicine that Auraria Library subscribes to.
Legal Research At LexisNexis. Search for cases to find litigation about your topic. Search for Federal and State laws concerning your topic. Search patents and patent law or international law. Full text.
Aviation Technology databases available through Auraria Library.
Statistics Databases available through Auraria Library.
ILL - getting copies of journal articles that are not full text online. Some of the databases listed above contain full text articles online. Most databases are not 100% full text however, so there are two or three steps to get any article.
- Identify the title of the journal. Be sure not to confuse this with the title of the article.
- Search Skyline by Periodical Title, typing in the name of the journal title. If Auraria Library has the journal, a record will appear that shows complete information status, location, call number, format). If we don't have it, go to the next step.
- Search Gold Rush by Periodical Title. If Auraria Library owns a database that has full text from the journal, a record will appear that shows complete information (database name and a link to the database). If we don't have it, go to the next step.
- Request the article through Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery (ILL).. This works really well, they mail you the article for free to your home. The downside is that it might take a week or two. So, give yourself time. If you don't have the time, go to Prospector and determine which library, if any, owns the journal locally. You can go to that library and make a copy of that article.
Non-Auraria Library Resources - Look for information in some of the conventional locations:
- the yellow pages (on or off line),
- the personnel office of the company you work for,
- your teacher, the reference staff and library catalog at your local university or public library
- try browsing in the appropriate section of the Library.
In any library Look for information on aviation in your local university, special or public library. For instance, for aviation you could try browsing in the following sections of the library.
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TL 500-700 Aeronautics
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TA - TN Engineering
Local Denver Resources - West of Denver in Lakewood is the Denver Federal Center home to more than 39 federal agencies. The FAA's Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center is located in Longmont. Numerous flight schools and airplane manufacturers are located in the metro area. Depending on the topic you choose there are a wealth of other resources available.
Tip: If you are searching on the Internet, remember the Library search tips and think about the reliability and accuracy of the information.
Citation Styles
Use this QUICK ONLINE GUIDE to citing styles (B. Davis Schwartz Memorial Library at Long Island University). The two main citing styles in use for your subject are MLA an APA. Check your syllabus for the preferred style.
- MLA - MLA handbook for writers of research papers / Joseph Gibaldi. New York : Modern Language Association of America, 2003. REF LB2369 .G53
- APA - Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Washington, DC : American Psychological Association, 2001. REF DESK BF 76.7 P83
