Research Guides: ENG 111: Composition I: ENG 111 Library Research

English 111 Student Research Activities

In-class activities:

In-Class Research Exploration Activity
Topic development worksheet for live library instruction sessions.
Online Keyword Worksheet Activity
Break your topic into search terms and find articles during a live library instruction session.

Self-guided research worksheets:

Guided Research Worksheet
Use this research worksheet to help you break your topic into search terms, brainstorm alternate search terms, and find information related to your topic.
Researching a Topic Worksheet
Step-by-step instructions with visuals on how to develop a topic and find articles using research databases.

Choosing a Topic

Research Databases

The Bailey Library provides online access to credible articles and books through library databases. Using databases saves time and provides access to content that is not available freely on the web.

Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
The database brings together viewpoint articles, contextual topic overviews, government and organizational statistics, court cases, newspaper and magazines articles on social issues.
Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window
Multi-disciplinary coverage of newspapers, magazines, and journals.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Spanning many academic disciplines, this database covers all subject areas.
News This link opens in a new window
Find full-text articles from U.S. and foreign newspapers, including the New York Times, dated from 1980.

Databases by Subject
Find additional databases to search.

Choosing Keywords

Finding Credible Websites - Google Search Tricks

Domain-Specific Search

When using Google, you can increase your odds of finding credible resources by using a domain-specific search to pull information from specific domains such as .gov, .org, and .edu (but you'll still have to evaluate all information you find!).

.gov - government (Federal and state government agencies use the Web to publish legislation, census information, weather data, tax forms, and many other documents)
.org - sometimes a non-profit organization (Nonprofit organizations use the Web to promote their causes. These pages are good sources to use when comparing different sides of an issue)
.edu - educational institution (Even though a page comes from an educational institution, it does not mean the institution endorses the views published by students or faculty members)

How to Do a Domain-Specific Search

Source Evaluation Wheel

Source Evaluation with 5 Ws
These are some questions you can ask about information you find to ensure it is credible.
Evaluate unfamiliar online sources using SIFT
Strategies for evaluating unfamiliar sources used by professional fact-checkers.

Recommended Websites

Finding Books & Articles - Tutorials and Additional Tips

Check out the following guides for more information on how to find books and articles through the library:

Citing Sources

Need Help? Ask a Librarian!

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ENG 111: Composition I