Useful eResources

Find links to these under the eResources 2.0 page

Remember that you can access all our databases off campus!

• Academic Search Complete*
• Humanities International Complete*
• JSTOR*
• Literature Resource Center*
• Modern Language Association (MLA) International Bibliography
• Project Muse

*contain full text articles

Useful Print Resources

These items can all be found in the Reference section, on the library’s first floor

• American Writers                                                             R 810 A512
• British Writers                                                                   R 820.9 B862
• Contemporary Literary Criticism                                R 809.04 C761
• Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism                     R 809.034 N714
• Twentieth Century Literary Criticism                       R 809.04 T971 

Tips to Keep in mind while Searching

Databases

§  Databases organize/search information differently, so check the help feature before you begin

§  Use the Advanced Search options as ways to narrow or limit your search results

§  Explore the subject terms or thesaurus terms you can use instead of a normal keyword search. (They are standardized so you don’t have to worry about synonyms or homographs)

§  After finding one useful article, use its subjects or keywords to lead you to more efficient search terms.

§  Remember that Periodical Locator can find the full text of articles in varying databases.

When you come across materials you need but we don’t have full text access, fill out an Interlibrary Loan request (just remember to allow 1 week or so for delivery).

Search Tips that Span the Information Universe

§  Remember to use Boolean Operators

o   AND will produce results containing BOTH terms (e.g. birds AND bees)

o   OR generates results that  contain EITHER term (e.g. dogs OR canines)

o   NOT results will include the first term, but not the second (cats NOT musical)

§  Quotation marks will isolate that phrase: “natural selection” lists results containing only that specific phrase, but results for natural selection would contain natural AND selection somewhere, not necessarily side by side.

§  Truncation allows you to search for variances of terms. Astro* gives you results which can include the terms: astronomer, astronomy, astrology, astronaut, etc. Some database’s use different symbols, so check their help features.

Trouble Citing your Sources?

Check out the following web resources

§  Bridgewater College’s Writing Center: http://www.bridgewater.edu/StudentServices/WritingCenter

§  Research and Documentation Online: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/

§  OWL at Purdue University: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

Additional Information

Library’s website- http://www.bridgewater.edu/library

Library’s Blog- http://www.theunclassifiedlibrary.blogspot.com

Library’s Wiki- http://www.alexmacklibrary.pbwiki.com

*Check out the wiki for “How Tos” outlining how to use a number of our library resources, and subject guides for the major disciplines.

Contacting a Librarian

Reference Desk: 828-5642 or reference@bridgewater.edu

My contact information: 828-5415 or cbiddle@bridgewater.edu