English 2700 Library Research Guide

Getting Started:

• Pirate Source Subject Guides:  For this class, use the Linguistics Guide to identify helpful dictionaries, encyclopedias, databases, and other helpful reference materials.
• Search Tips:
  • Boolean operators:
    • AND: narrows by combining terms
    • OR: expands by allowing choice
    • NOT: narrows by excluding terms
  • Other Search Tips:
    • * searches any variant spelling (child* will find child's, children, children's, etc.)
    • ? replaces any single character ( wom?n will find women or woman)
    • The catalog DOES NOT search determiners (a, the, an) or prepositions except in phrases.

Finding Books:

• From the library homepage, go into the Catalog, and begin with a "General Keyword" search.
• Be sure to use the Search Tips listed above.
• Examine the book record for citation information, subject headings, collection and call number, and sometimes, chapter titles.
• You can also click on the hyperlinked Subject Headings within a book record to find out approximately how many books in the library use that same term for description.

Finding Articles:

• LLBA (Linguistics and Language Behaviors Abstracts): This database indexes and provides abstracts of articles, books, book reviews, for all aspects of the study of language. Major areas of coverage include applied linguistics, discourse analysis, psycholinguistics, and semiotics.
• MLAIB (Modern Language Association International Bibliography): This is the primary database for research on literature, but also includes materials on the study of languages.
• ABELL (Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature):  This index provides access to more than 830,000 citations on topics related to the study of the English language, linguistics, and/or literature. While the official index years cover 1920-present, some indexed records have been added back to 1892. For results integrated with fulltext articles, connect to the Literature Online interface through this link.
• Communications Abstracts:  Indexes and abstracts communication-related articles, reports and books. Coverage includes general, mass, interpersonal, small group and organizational communication, as well as theory, advertising and marketing, broadcasting, journalism, public relations, radio, public opinion, speech, and television.
• Communication and Mass Media Complete(CMMC)
  
  
• PsycINFO: This database includes articles on teaching and learning (and is particularly strong in language acquisition), and contains a variety of document types, from journal articles to empirical research.

• If It's Not Fulltext:

  • How can I see articles?

    Many of our databases include the full text of articles. In some cases, though, the full text of an article may not be available online in the database you are using due to publishers' restrictions or the prohibitive cost of providing them online. Increasingly, when you search for articles in the library's databases you will see the  button on your results list or on the screen showing the citation/abstract of the article. Serial Solutions is a service offered by Joyner and Laupus Libraries that allows you, at the click of a button, to go from an article citation in one database to a full text copy of that article in another, or to see if a particular article or specific journal is available in full text electronic format. It also allows you to find out if that journal is available in print at either Joyner or Laupus.
    
    

    What if the article I want is not available full-text online?
    
    

    If the article is not available online, you can check the Joyner Library catalog or the Laupus Health Sciences catalog to see if it is held in printed form. The  button does this for you automatically from within databases. If you live within Pitt County you would need to come to the library to make a copy of the article. If you are a distance learning student living outside of Pitt County, you can have articles copied and sent to you, using Interlibrary Lending. 
    
    Citation Linker:If you already have a citation from someone else’s bibliography and want to find out if we have that article, key it into the Citation Linker. When you click the Find IT! Button at the bottom of the page, you will generate a menu of options that works like the one described above.
    
    

    Getting Help:

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  • Come to the Reference Desk or call (252-328-6677)
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  • Email the Reference Desk
    
    
  • Try chat reference or instant message (AIM: JoynerRef)
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  • Set up a Research Consultation (fill out the form in person, by phone, or online)