English 101 - Reisinger: How to search

If you have never searched our databases before, are a little rusty, or just want some help with how to search, the resources on this page are just for you! 

For the "Where do I start" questions you may have:

Use the "Databases for searching" box to access the main resources that will be useful to you for this class.  First, we have databases that contain guidance and resources as you research today's hot button issues.  These include Points of View, CQ Researcher, and SIRS.  Credo - which has a lot of scholarly encyclopedias (a credible source!) - is a good starting point for background information overall.  You can use the OneSearch box on our homepage to search for scholarly and popular articles, but Academic Search Premier and MasterFile Premier are also good places to search for information as well.  Academic Search has a mix of scholarly, trade, and popular information, while MasterFile leans more toward popular articles.

For your "How the heck to I search" questions:

Watch the keyword search video which gives you the basics of effective search strategies (spoiler: don't type sentences into search boxes).  There is a longer video about the actual mechanics of searching using the OneSearch function. Watch that, too!  That will walk you through exactly what to do once you are in that search.  There are other helpful hints as well, so even though it's long, keep watching!