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Research Process

So, you have a research project. This guide will walk you through the research process, from selecting a topic to doing your search and putting it all together.

Accessing the Databases

Access online library materials through the library databases!

To access the databases locked icon (same icon that displays by the LSC-limited access resources) from off-campus, you will be prompted to enter your 14-digit library barcode.

Don't have one yet? Request a barcode number online.

Search Limits

The most common and helpful search filters in a database are the:

  • full text limit (only returns articles you can read the full text of),
  • scholarly/peer reviewed limit (only returns scholarly/peer reviewed articles),
  • publication date limit (to exclude articles older than a certain point, or published within a certain time period).

Looking at the search limits in a particular database can also give you clues about the content of the database. E.g. if you don't see a scholarly/peer reviewed limit, it probably means that the database you are searching is already ONLY scholarly/peer reviewed.

 

Search Options & Refine Results

Limiters may be selected at the start of your search, or you can filter your results from the results page:

Advanced Search screen with the Full-text, date and scholarly/peer reviewed journals limiters hightlighted.   EBSCO Search results "Refine Results" column on the left.




 

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