Contact Me
Interim Scholarly Communications Librarian
Welcome!
Welcome to Milne Library and your COMP 1011 College Research Essay guide for library research! This guide will be available to you throughout the summer and throughout your first year. As you'll see from the tabs on the left, it provides basic information on
- helpful searching hints
- finding books
- finding articles and other resources
- interlibrary loan
- citing
- library services and the many ways to get research help
- where to get writing, citing, and technology help
If you have any questions, we're here to answer questions or set up a research consultation! You can contact either of us by email or phone; Adam's contact info adam.wood@oneonta.edu or (607)436-2453, Sophia's contact info sophia.dunne@oneonta.edu or (607)436-3771.
Understanding the Lingo
Conducting research can be difficult when you are unfamiliar with the terms being used to describe certain types of items. If your instructor asks you to use a periodical, would you know what they meant? If you had to locate the call number in an item’s record, could you? It is important to familiarize yourself with what particular library words mean.
Refer back to some of the handouts received in class. The Definitions handout and Types of Periodicals chart will be particularly useful to keep.
Pick a topic
If you are stuck trying to decide on a topic for your paper, there are a few ways to generate ideas.
- Scan newspaper headlines
- Browse chapter titles in your textbook
- Check out what's trending
- Add a personal interest to an assignments existing topic
- Use the "Browse Issues" section in the Opposing Viewpoints Database
- 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.
Starting Research
When you begin a research project, it is a good idea to take a moment to reflect on your prior knowledge of the topic area. How much do you already know about this topic? In most cases, you will need to do a bit of research to get some general information on your topic. Encyclopedias are arranged alphabetically and contain a general overview of a term or subject matter. Opposing Viewpoints in Context can also help you find encyclopedic information on a variety of topics.
- Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Search reference sources across disciplines. Includes historical timelines, multimedia, selected magazine articles, notable quotations, and a dictionary and thesaurus.
- Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Search database of encyclopedias and reference sources within the Gale eBooks platform. For multidisciplinary research.