Links

	Other research guides
	Ask a Librarian!
	Traditional and online reference material

Tips & Tutorials
How to . . .

	Find Books
	Place Holds
	Evaluate websites
	Using Gale Virtual Reference Library
	Using NetLibrary
	Basic Searches in EBSCO Databases
	UNC-CH Citation Builder
	Use NC LIVE databases

Need computer help?
View the Tech Support How-To's!

The Rose Library offers 24/7 help for your information and library use questions. It is through NCknows, a pilot project staffed by librarians available all day, every day.

In This Guide You'll Find...

Books	Journal/Magazine Indexes
Encyclopedias	Journals
Government Information	Statistics
Handbooks, Manuals & Guides	Web Sites

Books are written or printed works produced by one or more authors. Individuals or committees with expertise in the field often edit books. Because they provide comprehensive information on their subject at the time of publication, books are very valuable in the research process. For many subject areas this is the best starting point for research. Many books contain valuable bibliographies at end of each chapter or at the close of the book. This provides an excellent entry point into the subject material as well to the authors publishing in a particular field of study.

Library Staff recommend. . .

Encyclopedias are among the most widely used reference sources and contain articles of varying lengths covering all fields of knowledge. Typically encyclopedias cover many topics but without going into a great deal of depth on any one thing. Encyclopedias are a good starting point for researching topics that you do not know much about or that are completely new to you. They can give you background information which can help when you move to more in-depth sources later. Specialized encyclopedias may cover just one field or even a sub-unit of that field. Subject encyclopedias can be consulted for detailed or technical information on a subject.

Library Staff recommend. . .

Government information is generated by local, state, national, and international governments on almost all topics. Most government information is undergoing a major shift from traditional formats such as print and microfiche, to a variety of electronic formats available through the Internet. Government information is considered to be a primary, authoritative and reliable resource. To find government information on your topic, search the library catalog, specialized indexes, and government agency web sites.

Library Staff recommend. . .

Handbooks, manuals and guides are resources which supply concise factual and statistical information often in the form of charts, graphs, tables and formulas. These sources have very basic information, with little or no discussion or analysis of the facts they present. They cover a wide variety of topics, and as with other reference sources, these tools may be general or specific to a field, group of people, or era. These sources are frequently updated, which makes them valuable for locating current information. Try searching the online catalog using the keywords of your topic combined with one of the following keywords: handbook, manual or guide.

Library Staff recommend. . .

Journal Indexes compile records, usually abstracts and full text articles, from journals, newspapers, conferences, dissertations, government reports, web pages, etc. These records are easy to search and retrieve because the content of each record has been analyzed and assigned appropriate subject headings, keywords, names, etc. New records are regularly downloaded from the producer of each Journal Index. For a complete list, go to Journal Indexes licensed by Cleveland Community College.

Library Staff recommend. . .

Journals are scholarly periodicals which publish current research and commentary on their specific field of study. Journals are published by independent publishers, organizations, associations, and governments. Most scholarly journals are peer-reviewed which means they have been reviewed and verified by a panel of experts in the field covered by the journal.

Library Staff recommend. . .

Statistical sources attempt to answer questions beginning with "How much?" or "How many?" The tool needed to answer such a question is determined by the question's depth and complexity. Typically a straightforward question requires searching for statistics already analyzed and recorded in books, journal articles, and the publications of governments, associations and organizations.

Library Staff recommend. . .

The page titled Search the Internet lists search engines to help you find web links on the Internet which may be helpful in your research. Remember to evaluate whether the information you find on the Internet is appropriate for your assignment. You can find help for evaluating websites on our Evaluating Web Sites page.

Library Staff recommend. . .