Reference and Instruction Librarian
Library Help
Welcome
Hello and Welcome! This research guide provides users with helpful tips about the research process and research tools. Included is information about subject-specific databases, journals, and research tips. This guide has been created to gather helpful resources to point users toward places to explore and find materials in the discipline. Any questions can be emailed to alayna.vanderveer@oneonta.edu or asked at the reference desk.
Choosing a Topic
If you have no idea what to research, there are a few places to go for topic ideas.
- Scan news headlines or digests
- You have free access to these newspapers through Milne Library, but you need to create an account
- The New York Times https://libguides.oneonta.edu/new-york-times
- The Wall Street Journal https://www.WSJ.com/SUNYOneonta
- You have free access to these newspapers through Milne Library, but you need to create an account
- Browse topics in an encyclopedia
- Check out CQ Researcher, a database that can help you find research topics or explore trending topics https://cqpress.sagepub.com/
- Use the “Browse Issues” section in the Opposing Viewpoints in Context Database https://go.gale.com/ps/start.do?p=OVIC&u=sunyo_main
- Go to Credo Reference and browse subjects https://search.credoreference.com/
- Scan chapters or sections in your textbooks to find appropriate topics
- Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
Search and discover overviews, news, and opinions on hundreds of today's important social issues.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowCredo is an online searchable reference collection of over 690 sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies, and almanacs, powered by a network of cross-references that cut across topics, titles and publishers to provide answers in context. Reference sources also include images, sound files, animations, charts, maps, and other materials.
- CQ Researcher (1923-present) This link opens in a new windowCovers the most current and controversial issues of the day with summaries of the issues. Full text. Five simultaneous users.
- New York Times Digital This link opens in a new window
All students and faculty have unlimited access to The New York Times digital platforms, including personalized user experience, live coverage of breaking news, access to NYT articles between 1851-current, access to the International edition and Canadian, Chinese, and Spanish editions, full access to the NYT Learning Network, and access to the InEducation resource that helps faculty bring current events into the classroom. This resource includes access to archival content and replaces Historical New York Times and New York Times Archive.
- Wall Street Journal This link opens in a new windowThe Wall Street Journal is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper published six days a week. WSJ Digital provides personalized access to all WSJ digital products, including WSJ tablet app, full WSJ.com access, WSJ smartphone app, and a WSJ+ membership for all students, faculty, and staff.
First time access for users requires sign up at: WSJ.com/SUNYOneonta
Boolean Operators
Databases use precision searching and specific language to organize records, which means that we must use keywords, Boolean Operators (AND,OR, NOT), and limiters to effectively search in them.
AND: Narrows search results. For example: Cat AND Dog will result in sources that have both of these words contained in them.
OR: Broadens search results. For example: Cat OR Dog will result in any source that has either of these words contained in them.
NOT: Excludes certain keywords from search results. For example: Cat NOT Dog will result in only sources that have the word cat contained in them.
Truncation: Use an asterisk * to truncate and search for variations of a word, including plural forms. For example: immigrat* searches for the words immigrant, immigrants, immigrate, immigration
Wildcard: Use the question mark to represent more than one letter in a word, especially for words that do not form their plural by adding "s" or "es" and instead have different spellings. For example: wom?n searches for both women and woman.
Phrases: Use quotation marks to search for words as a phrase rather than separate single words. For example: "undocumented immigrant" will search for these two words together as a phrase. This also helps keep your search results narrow and more focuses on the topic you are looking for.