Get Started - ENGL 150 (Sterling) - CampusGuides at Ferris State University

Research Guides

Guides are available for a variety of subjects!

Check out FLITE's research guides for additional help with your research assignment.

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Find Background Information

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries online

Oxford Reference Online
Search multiple dictionaries and encyclopedias.
CREDO Reference
Search multiple dictionaries and encyclopedias.

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Research Paper Navigator

Research Paper Navigator

Use for help with

time management
library research
writing your paper
citing sources

Also has subject guides with suggested databases.

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Select A Research Topic

CQ Researcher
Find in-depth background information on controversial and current issues. Browse Recent Reports or By Topic to paper topic ideas. Reports written by CQ staff writers.
Facts on File: Issues & Controversies
Full-text essays giving multiple perspectives on controversial issues. Use Need a Research Topic menu on bottom right of page to select/learn about a topic. Written by Facts on File staff writers.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Pro/con book series covers a multitude of the outstanding social, environmental, political, etc issues of the day.

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Keyword Searching

Keyword Search Rules for the Library Catalog and Databases

Using AND/OR/NOT (Boolean Search Operators)
AND	Use AND to focus search and combine different aspects of your topic. Example: vegetarianism and environment
OR	Use OR to expand your search and find synonyms/related terms. Example: global warming or climate change
NOT	Use NOT to exclude a word or phrase from your search Example: emissions trading not United States

Using AND/OR/NOT (Boolean Search Operators)

AND

Use AND to focus search and combine different aspects of your topic.

Example: vegetarianism and environment

Use OR to expand your search and find synonyms/related terms.

Example: global warming or climate change

NOT

Use NOT to exclude a word or phrase from your search

Example: emissions trading not United States

Additional Search Tips
"Phrase search" - Use quotation marks" " to search for a particular phrase. Example: "greenhouse gas emissions"
Truncation * - Use an asterisk to find variations of a word. Put an asterisk following the root of the word to find all variations of that word, including singular and plural. Example: environment* (finds environments, environmental, environmentalist, etc.)
(Grouping/Nesting Keywords) - Use parentheses ( ) as a way to group all your search terms together. Example: (climate change or global warming) and population growth

Additional Search Tips

"Phrase search" - Use quotation marks" " to search for a particular phrase.

Example: "greenhouse gas emissions"

Truncation * - Use an asterisk to find variations of a word. Put an asterisk following the root of the word to find all variations of that word, including singular and plural.

Example: environment* (finds environments, environmental, environmentalist, etc.)

(Grouping/Nesting Keywords) - Use parentheses ( ) as a way to group all your search terms together.

Example: (climate change or global warming) and population growth

See the Basic Search Tips guides for more information, including examples. Use the Search Generator from Northwest Missouri State University to help you create a keyword search. Or use the Keyword Searching Worksheet to help you brainstorm keywords and put together your own search query.

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