First steps
Before starting your research, make sure you have a clear sense of what it is that you're looking for. Consider looking at more general sources to get a better understanding of the general topic. Some possible sources for this background searching, or presearch, are listed below.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Search hundreds of scholarly, subject-specific reference titles in many topic areas, including the arts, business, education, history, the sciences, technology, literature, and the social sciences. Excellent for in-depth overviews of terms or concepts. Search individual e-books or whole collections.
- Sage Reference This link opens in a new window
Search and read entries from over one hundred social science and science specialized reference encyclopedias published by Sage.
- Health StatisticsProvides links to numerous reputable sources of health-related statistics arranged by geographic area and/or topic.
News coverage
- MasterFILE Premier This link opens in a new window
Search general reference resources, and business, consumer health, general science, and multi-cultural periodicals. Also includes full-text travel books, biographies, primary source documents, and photos, maps, and flags.
- Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window
Search the full-text for regional U.S. newspapers and national and international newspapers, newswires, and TV and radio news transcripts. Several national and many regional news sources are included full-text. Abstracts of articles from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal - Eastern Edition are also available.
- Google News"Comprehensive up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world"
- Access World News This link opens in a new window
Access World News is a comprehensive resource that includes news publications from around the world. These sources include major national and international newspapers, as well as local and regional titles. Access World News is updated daily to keep students informed of current issues and events, and it includes deep archives that provide background information on important topics, enabling students to trace an issue or event over a period of time.
Scholarly articles
- Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Communications and Mass Media Complete offers full-text and cover-to-cover indexing and abstracts for journals in the fields of communications, mass media and related fields. Some major journals begins from 1915 forward.
- Consumer Health Complete This link opens in a new window
Search a full-text collection of health related resources for consumers. Information is from encyclopedias, reports, images, videos and pamphlets.
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
Search full-text journal literature in all areas of business, economics, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing. Includes company SWOT analyses, industry and country reports.
- Health Source - Consumer Edition This link opens in a new window
Search authoritative consumer-focused health information. Includes health books and pamphlets. Useful to get plain language reading on a variety of health topics.
Ask Us
Questions? Ask a librarian!
Need Help?
- How-To VideosLearn how to navigate and use library resources, including searching, citing, saving, and requesting materials.
- Research ToolkitResearch Toolkit workshops are designed to address the most common challenges students face in doing college-level research, including navigating databases, locating relevant sources, and making sense of information once it is found.
- Ask UsAsk questions via chat, email, or schedule an appointment with your subject librarian.
- Subject LibrariansLearn which librarian specializes in your area of research.