Library databases provide access to full-text articles from journals, magazines, and more. The databases listed below cover a wide variety of topics.
Browse library books on Composition and Literature, or search for your topic using the resources below.
Search Ebook Collections
Reference collections provide facts, background information, and can help build your vocabulary and knowledge base around a topic.
The LibGuides below contain resources specific to each program. If you are having trouble finding a topic or sources, these will provide additional support by program.
When researching on the open web, you should:
Carefully evaluate any information you find or intend to use in your research
Ensure the information is accurate, timely, and agenda/bias-free
Pay close attention to all details, including:
- When it was last updated
- Who is responsible for the website
Use the links below to assist you in evaluating web resources.
Open web resources can provide valuable information when researching a topic. Due to the nature of the open web, it is important that you carefully evaluate what you find. The resources below are recommended when using the open web.
Search Openverse to find Creative Commons-licensed and public domain content like images and videos. Review attribution requirements for content used.
About Creative Commons (CC) Licenses
"Creative Commons licenses give everyone from individual creators to large institutions a standardized way to grant the public permission to use their creative work under copyright law. From the reuser’s perspective, the presence of a Creative Commons license on a copyrighted work answers the question, What can I do with this work?"
You can also find images and other multimedia in most journal and reference databases. Make sure to generate a citation for any content used.
Library resources provide you with reliable, easy-to-find information you can use for your course assignments and projects.
If you need assistance with a library resource, please Ask A Librarian!
Generating Search Terms
Primary research or field research is:
If you are going to use primary research in your assignment, use the links below to assist you in getting started.
What is a secondary source?
Secondary sources, also called academic sources or scientific sources, are analytical documents that interpret primary sources. They are created by someone who did not experience first-hand or participate in the events or conditions you're researching.
Secondary sources include books, electronic resources, memoirs, monographs, peer-reviewed articles, and theses.
Why use a secondary source?
Secondary sources support your ideas and arguments when writing any academic papers. Since they are often written by experts to review, analyze, explain or interpret primary sources, they will help you understand a topic and provide you with different perspectives. Remember that not all secondary sources are considered scholarly or academic.
(Source: Harvard Library)
Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose
Learn how to use this assessment tool when conducting research
A word of caution: There is potential for error, distortion, and bias in any source. Respected experts disagree with their peers, new discoveries call once-established “facts” into question, and widely-accepted theories are later proven false. It can be both useful and necessary to engage with sources that do not pass the CRAAP test, especially if you critically evaluate the source and address its limitations. So keep an open mind, acknowledge uncertainty, practice skepticism, stay informed about new developments, and seek understanding of multiple perspectives related to the subjects and ideas that matter to you. (NWACC Library)
