Virtual Library

If you are an FCCJ student, and have any problems or need help with your research, please e-mail librarian@fccj.edu or call any campus library.

Useful Sites When Writing Your Research Paper

Steps in writing a research paper:

Narrow your topic – How do you know if your topic is too broad or too narrow? Try a couple preliminary searches in the library catalog or a periodicals database. Look at your results lists. Are you getting hundreds of books or articles on your topic? Or are you getting little to nothing at all? If you are getting too much, browse the subheadings within the database to find a more precise aspect of the topic. If you are getting too little, you might want to expand your search.

Also, take note of the subject words related to your topic that you find in your preliminary search. These will come in handy as you begin to really get into your research. For instance, if you search “steroids and sports” in the library catalog take a look the subject headings for the books you find. Some additional search terms you will find include “Doping in sports” and “Athletes -- Drug Use.”

Get background information. Encyclopedias are great for getting overviews of your topic. They will also help to familiarize you with the vocabulary related to your topic. If any terms are unfamiliar, you can also use dictionaries to get their meanings.See the “Encyclopedias” page for some online encyclopedias you can use.

Find books on your topic. Use the “Books” page or go to any FCCJ campus library to search the online catalog for books on your subject. Remember that books are good for background research and historical information, but often you will want to get more up-to-date data from periodical articles.

Find periodical articles on your topic. Periodical articles can be either scholarly journal articles or articles from popular magazines. You can find plenty of both from the “Periodicals” page. You can also visit any FCCJ campus library to search the databases and get articles from other print periodicals on campus. Look to see if the articles have a bibliography at the end. This may lead you to more information.

Using the Web for research. Using a general Web search engine should be your last resort when research a paper for class. Always use the library catalog and journal databases first. This is simply because they contain more reliable information from reputable authors and are generally easier to search. If you cannot find what you need and think it may be on the Web, you can use a search engine to see if what you need is out there. For tips on searching the Web, try the Search Engine Watch tips page. You may have to use more than one to fully search the Web’s resources. Once you find a page, be sure to evaluate it, to be sure that the information you are getting is accurate.

Useful Sites:

 

	Documenting Sources from the World Wide Web (MLA Sytle)
	Web Extension to APA Style
	Guide to Writing for Research Papers – Based on the MLA Style
	Elements of Style – By Strunk with rules of usage and principles of composition.
	Guide to Grammar and Writing
	CollegeSkills.com -- This site is aimed at current and prospective college students who want to make the most of their time in school.
	Web Searching Tips – From the Internet Public Library
	Refdesk.com – Virtual Reference Desk with hundreds of useful online information tools at your fingertips.
	Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus Online
	Constructing Your Research Paper

 

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