A Guide to Finding Resources for Advanced Composition

Washburn students may search many of the resources listed here from any computer with Internet access. To access restricted resources, you will be prompted to enter your name and WU ID number.

Help

Call (785)670-1483 or toll free 1-800-736-9060 Send e-mail to refemail@washburn.edu
IM us to chat live with a reference librarian Maps of the library
http://www.washburn.edu/mabee/quickLinks/floorMaps.html#Level1

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Selecting a Topic

Browse the following if you need help selecting a topic:

Newspapers Current newspapers may be found to your right as you enter the Library. Newspapers for the past month may be retrieved at the Circulation Desk. Older issues of newspapers may be found on the north end of the lower level of the Library in the microfiche and microfilm cabinets. Machines for printing articles from microfiche or microfilm are located in the same area; printing is free.
  • Custom Newspapers - A full text database of over 160 U.S. newspapers and English language foreign papers.
  • Academic Universe (Lexis-Nexis) - Search the full text of 50 major international newspapers.
News magazines Recent issues of news and current affairs magazines are located on the shelves to your right as you enter Mabee Library. Browse through Atlantic Monthly, Business Week, The Futurist, Harper's, National Review, New Republic, Newsweek, Time, or U.S. News & World Report for possible topics.
Magazines in a particular field To find current hot topics in a particular field, browse through magazines or journals in our collection that cover a subject of interest to you.
  • A complete listing of our magazine, newspaper, and journal holdings may be found in the Reference Area on the second floor of the library and in the Periodical Collection on the first floor. An electronic version of the Mabee Library Periodical Holdings is available at http://www.washburn.edu/mabee/researchTools/MABEE_LIST.pdf .
  • You may also search the library catalog to find a list of magazines and journals by subject. For example, perform a "general subject" search of the library catalog for "sports medicine periodicals" or "business periodicals" to retrieve a list of journal titles in these subjects owned by the Library.
CQ Researcher CQResearcher provides in-depth, up-to-date background information on the most current and controversial social issues of today. This resource may also help you formulate a thesis statement for your research paper.
Vital Speeches of the Day For the full-text of contemporary speeches, check out Vital Speeches of the Day (WU Mabee Periodicals Lower level) - Covers 1940 to 2006.
  • You may also search the Expanded Academic ASAP electronic database to find the full-text of speeches in Vital Speeches of the Day.

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Finding Articles

Finding Articles that Present Different Points of View

To narrow your search to articles that present different points of view, try these strategies:

  • Conduct a keyword search for your topic and include some form of the word argue. Although argue and argument are not searchable subject headings, some form of the word may appear in the abstract or full text of the article. In some databases, you may use a wildcard (usually an asterisk *) to search all variations of a word, for example, argu* .
    • Additional keywords to try: pros, cons, opposing, viewpoints, against, proponents, issues, opinion, and refute.
  • Look for a subdirectory or sub-heading that includes the phrase "Moral and Ethical Aspects."
    • Additional sub-headings to look for: Economic Aspects, Law and Legislation, Political Aspects, Psychological Aspects, Public Opinion, Religious Aspects, Social Aspects
Library Article Databases

Journals are a great source of information on current topics and lists of references at the end of articles can provide leads to additional sources. Articles from scholarly journals often provide the most current and detailed information on a subject. Scholarly journals are also referred to as peer-reviewed journals or refereed journals. In some electronic databases, such as Expanded Academic ASAP, you may limit your search to articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Listed below are a few general databases in which to start your search. Washburn students, faculty and staff may access electronic search services from off-campus by using your Washburn ID number. Call 670-1483 if you have problems with remote access to the electronic indexes/databases.

Academic Universe (Lexis-Nexis) LexisNexis® Academic provides searchable access to a comprehensive spectrum of full-text information from over 5,600 sources, selected to meet academic research needs, including national and regional newspapers, wire services, broadcast transcripts, international news, non-English language sources, U.S. Federal and state case law, legal news, law reviews, international legal information, business news journals, company financial information, SEC filings and reports, and industry and market news.
Contemporary Women's Issues Includes articles about development, pay equity, education, politics, family life, reproductive rights, gender equity, sociology, health, violence and exploitation, human rights, legal status, the workplace, and lesbian concerns.
CQ Researcher The CQ Researcher Online is both a tool for selecting a topic to research and a comprehensive resource for exploring the most current and controversial issues of the day.
Custom Newspapers A full text database of over 160 U.S. newspapers and English language foreign papers.
Expanded Academic ASAP Expanded Academic ASAP® is comprised of more than 3,500 indexed and full-text titles — of which 2,100 are peer-reviewed — in all disciplines with more than 20 years of backfile coverage and an intuitive interface that expedites successful searches. Expanded Academic ASAP offers balanced coverage on a wide-range of topics including social sciences, humanities, education, science and technology.
InfoTrac One File Thomson Gale's InfoTrac OneFile is a comprehensive periodical resource that puts more than 39 million database records at researchers' fingertips. More than 9,200 titles and backfile coverage from 1980 from mainstream to specialized sources and an intuitive search interface make this an unequaled source for virtually every popular, business and professional topic.
JSTOR JSTOR is a full-text archive of scholarly journals. Coverage is usually from the first issue up until 3-5 years ago.
ProQuest Research Library From business and political science to literature and psychology, ProQuest Research Library provides access to a wide range of popular academic subjects.
Wilson OmniFile Full Text Full text of articles from over 2,100 publications, many of them peer-reviewed.

Subject-Specific Databases

Once you have decided upon the focus or perspective of your paper, search an appropriate subject-specific database from the list at http://www.washburn.edu/mabee/researchTools/elec_dbs.html.

Internet Article Databases

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Finding Books

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

A good starting point to find background information on a topic is in general and special encyclopedias, dictionaries or handbooks. These sources provide an overview of a topic, identify key people and concepts, define unfamiliar terms, and often include a list of books and articles on a given topic. They are also good for narrowing down a topic. You may want to browse the Mabee Library Reference Collection or search other Reference Works online from http://www.washburn.edu/mabee/researchTools/elec_dbs.html . Ask a reference librarian if you need assistance.

The Library Catalog

Books are generally not as current as journal articles, but they provide a more comprehensive coverage of a subject. Search the library catalog to find books on a specific subject. You may search by book title, subject, keyword(s), or a combination of author and title. Subject searching is most effective when you already know the Library of Congress Subject Heading to use. Computer terminals are located on all three floors of the library. Call 670-1483 if you need assistance on the 3rd floor.

Mabee Library has several book collections that compile pro/con arguments about contemporary social issues. Conduct a "keyword" search for opposing viewpoints, at issue, current controversies, contemporary issues, contemporary world issues, reference shelf, taking sides, and library in a book to retrieve a list of titles in these collections.

Here is a complete guide on how to find books in the Mabee Library.

In addition to the Mabee Library Catalog, you may also want to search WorldCat, an electronic database which lists the books, journals, and other items owned by libraries around the world. Items that you find may be borrowed from the library which owns the item; look for an ILL icon in WorldCat to request items.

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Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery

If the Mabee Library does not own or have access to a particular book or journal, you may request a copy of the article or the book through Interlibrary Loan; this free service normally takes 7-10 days for books and 2-7 days for journal articles.

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Citing Your Sources

Style manuals provide the necessary information for documentation and style in writing research papers and reports. Check out the research guides on the different styles if you need help citing your sources.

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http://www.washburn.edu/mabee/crc/courses/en300/godman.html

March 2008