research and writing pathfindelr
new! Recipe for Research is a new, concise guide to performing research from the people of EBSCO. Be sure to take a look before you begin your next research project.
Also check out the framework in Learn to Research from OSLIS!
remember the basics of searching
Keywords: Use two or three words that are important to your subject/search. Example: immigration reform
Exact phrases: If you are searching for an exact phrase, put quotation marks around your search term. Only sites with that exact wording will be returned. Example: “united states”
Boolean searching: Boolean operators are words that connect search words together to either narrow or broaden your set of results. By using them, you can create a complex search that could include multiple ideas and alternative keywords. There are three Boolean operators: AND, OR, and NOT. They are usually written in all uppercase letters. Remember the Venn diagram.
To learn more about Boolean operators, visit the Boolean Logic page of the Senior Research Guide
sources of information
tkcs research databases (home access passwords)
Explora for Grades 6 to 8
Explora for High School
Legal Information Reference Center
Literary Reference Center
Points of View Database
Small Business Reference Center
Britannica School
PebbleGo
*Visit our How Do I…? page for EBSCO tutorials
local public library databases
Camden County Library Databases
Cherry Hill Public Library Databases
Gloucester County Library System Databases
Haddonfield Public Library Databases
Haddon Heights Library Databases
Monroe Township Library Databases
Mount Laurel Library Databases
Moorestown Library Databases
Pennsauken Free Public Library Databases
Woodbury Public Library Databases
other information sources
Ask a question on any topic and have it answered by a librarian from the New Jersey State Library
Chronicling America: Historic Newspapers Collection
Searchable database of digitized newspapers from throughout the U.S.
Congress.gov
U.S. Congress legislation, Congressional Record debates, Members of Congress, legislative process educational resources presented by the Library of Congress
DOAJ
A community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals
Google Scholar
The premier free scholarly database ~ best tool for citation chasing
ibiblio
Home to one of the largest free information databases online
JerseyClicks
Accepts library cards from any NJ public library
Library of Congress Research Guides
In-depth research guides for hundreds of topics
Library of Congress Research Tools
A wide variety of online databases and Internet resources, and an easy-to-use gateway for searching other institutions’ online catalogs and extensive links to resources on the Internet
Pew Research Center
Numbers, facts, and trends shaping our world (Full topic list)
ProCon.org
Pro and con arguments for and against controversial issues, such as medical marijuana, euthanasia, prostitution, and gun control
Science.gov
Searches over 60 databases and over 2,200 scientific websites for authoritative federal science information
Semantic Scholar
AI-powered research tool for scientific literature
USAFacts
Offers curated U.S. data from government sources covering population, government’s finances, and government’s impact on society
evaluate your sources for reliability
Watch this short video tutorial (3:54) to help you valuate the sources you find on your topic
More resources to help you evaluate information
easywhois.com
Introducing SIFT [Full course] The Research Process
TurnItIn’s Source Credibility Check
Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers
Website evaluation: UC Berkeley
The WHY Method for [high school] and [middle school]
news source fact-checking
AllSides Media Bias Ratings
Allside Media Bias Chart (updated)
FactCheck.org
Media Bias Fact Check Extension (Install the Chrome extension for an instant rating of your information source)
OpenSecrets.org
PolitiFact
Politwoops (by ProPublica- deleted Tweets)
ProCon.org
Reporters’ Lab: Fact-checking News
Snopes.com
Spotting Fake News
Test your fake-news judgment
resources to help you write well
Writing Resources
Excelsior Online Writing Lab
Purdue OWL Writing Lab
Write Express
Descriptive Essay
Narrative Essay
Persuasive Essay
Transition Words
Organization and Outlines
TED Talk: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator
Mind Mapping
Study Hacks Blog
EBSCO Note-taking Guide
Evernote
Brainfuse
Zotero
MLA • Citations • Plagiarism
Please remember that citation generators are NOT foolproof! You are ultimately responsible to know the rules of citation and ensure that your citations conform to style.
MLA Style Center
MLA Works Cited: A Quick Guide
Using In-text Citations (Video)
OSLIS MLA Citation Maker (Ad-free)
OSLIS MLA Citation Maker, Elementary ed. (Ad-free)
MyBib Citation Maker (Ad-free)
The Citation Game – MLA Master Blaster (Test your knowledge of citations!)
The Plagiarism Spectrum from Turnitin
The Purdue Owl MLA Styling Guide
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism Glossary
Plagiarism Game
Quiz: How well do you know plagiarism?
Copyright and Fair Use
Copyright: Will we always be behind the times?
Fair Use Checklist
Purdue OWL Strategies for Fair Use
And be sure to visit our page, “Copyright, Fair Use, Public Domain, & the Creative Commons License.”