Be sure you're using literary analysis/critical essays, not overviews of the work! Also consider looking at the author's writing style/craft -- even if you can't find analysis of your piece, you'll probably find analysis of the author which you can match to their writing.
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This link opens in a new windowYou might find a magazine article about the work, or perhaps a review of a play (if applicable), or a review of the book collecting short stories from the author.
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This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new window This link opens in a new windowConsider which disciplines apply to your specific topic when choosing your databases.
The e-book collections offer several advantages: instant online-access, no need to check-out the book, and you can easily search inside to jump to your search terms.
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Encyclopedias serve to give general overviews and summaries of topics. They don't get into the in-depth information you should be seeking for a college-level research paper.
Examples of encyclopedias include: Encyclopedia Britannica, Wikipedia, SparkNotes, and any other source that only provides that shallow level of information (including the library database Credo Reference!).
Shallow information is trivia: e.g. this book was published in 1974, the main characters are these, the basic plot is this... This is good to know and informs your deeper analysis! But it's not the thoughtful analysis you want to focus on.
Research means more than just Googling some likely terms and picking something easy off the first page of results. Consider:
Besides keywords, there are an estimated 200 factors that affect Google's page rankings, including:
Notice that "accuracy" or "reliability" don't make the list.
Authority comes from knowledge, not convenience.
A knowledgeable author writing for a reputable publication is good (even better if they're still citing their sources).
A random website with no discernible author and no sources provided? Keep moving.
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You can streamline the quality of your Google searches by focusing on more credible domains like education (.edu) in your results.
Still keep in mind the restriction on not using overviews and summaries!
Google has some advanced search commands to make this quicker. Just add site:___ to your search! E.g. site:nasa.gov or even just site:.edu. Try it below! |
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Access online library materials through the library databases!
To access the databases 
from off-campus, you will be prompted to enter your 14-digit library barcode or your LSC email/password.
Don't have a barcode but want one? Request a barcode number online.
If you discover an article that has no Full Text link, you still have options!
This link opens in a new windowEvaluate your source's...
Is your source
Recent? Reliable? Relevant?
Is this source up-to-date? Is it about my topic, and does it go into enough depth? Does it come from an authoritative source? Is the information accurate (and are there citations given to back it up)? And why was this information written in the first place?
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