Skip to Main Content

How to Do Library Research

Tips and tricks from SCC Library

Scholarly Article

  • Authors' educational credentials are included
  • Includes an "abstract" - a paragraph-long summary of the article, on the first page
  • Cites sources 
  • Publication cycle is often seasonal or quarterly
Scholarly article example screenshot
Example scholarly article from EBSCOhost Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection.
Sinatra, G. M., & Lombardi, D. (2020). Evaluating sources of scientific evidence and claims in the post-truth era may require reappraising plausibility judgments. Educational Psychologist, 55(3), 120–131. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2020.1730181

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Access

Access SCC OneSearch here, or via this search box:

Magazine Article

  • Written by journalists, not subject experts
  • Written for the general public, not for an academic audience
  • Often includes images
  • Publication cycle is generally monthly or weekly
Magazine article example
Example Magazine Article from EBSCOhost MasterFILE Complete.
PINE, D. W. (2023). Our 100th Birthday Cover. TIME Magazine, 201(9/10), 6–7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Access

Newspaper Article

  • Written by journalists, not subject experts
  • Written for the general public, not for an academic audience
  • Can provide up-to-date information on rapidly developing topics, as they are published daily
Newspaper article example
Example newspaper article from ProQuest U.S. Major Dailies.
Smith, H. (2023, Mar 09). With new storm comes a familiar threat: flooding; Rivers that surged in January may push past their limit. Officials say they are prepared. Los Angeles Times https://scclib.sccollege.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/with-new-storm-comes-familiar-threat-flooding/docview/2784734106/se-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Access

Encyclopedia Entry

  • A good place to start research, to learn common knowledge 
  • Authors sometimes not listed, because the knowledge is accumulated
  • Often includes images
  • Not an analysis of a subject - purely factual
Encyclopedia example
Example encyclopedia entry from Britannica Academic.
Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Arabic literature. Britannica Academic. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/Arabic-literature/8159

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Where to Access

E-book

  • You can search within an e-book for words or terms important to your research topic
  • You can click on a chapter title in the Table of Contents to skip to, or start at, a particular chapter
  • You can zoom in to view the text at a large size
  • A screen reader may be able to read the book aloud
E-book example
Example e-book chapter from JSTOR.
Van Coillie, J. (2020). Diversity can change the world: Children’s literature, translation and images of childhood. In J. Van Coillie & J. McMartin (Eds.), Children’s Literature in Translation: Texts and Contexts (pp. 141–156). Leuven University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv17rvx8q.11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where to Access

Access SCC OneSearch here, or via this search box:

Book

  • The books at SCC Library have been chosen by librarians for their authority, relevance to SCC coursework, and enrichment value
  • SCC Library books may be checked out for three weeks at a time, and renewed once, for an additional week
Books
Example shelf of books at SCC Library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Where to Access

Access SCC OneSearch here, or via this search box:

Website

  • May or may not be a credible source - you must evaluate it
  • "About" page sometimes includes the purpose of the website and details of the organization running it
Website example
Example website, Pew Research Center homepage.
Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. https://www.pewresearch.org/

 

Source