English 110

Welcome to the library! In this research guide, you will be introduced to some research fundamentals, and you will have the opportunity to complete several short exercises to help you develop a draft research question and begin generating key terms for searching library resources. This guide covers much of the same material available in the interactive Library Research Workbook, but it also includes more detailed information about the library databases and search tools you are most likely to use in English 110.

This guide, like the Library Research Workbook, is intended to help you:

• Identify an information need
  • Understand the relationship between a research topic, a research question, and a research strategy
• Know the scope of available resources
  • Understand the difference between library databases, Google, and Wikipedia
  • Recognize the purpose of a variety of resources and what research needs they answer
  • Recognize the difference between scholarly and popular sources
• Develop effective research strategies
  • Select appropriate research tools and resources
  • Generate and refine effective keyword searches
  • Use search results to broaden or narrow a research topic
• Find sources
  • Use library databases and OneSearch
• Evaluate sources
  • Apply the CRAAP test
  • Understand the importance of peer review

• Select the Research tab in the top menu to find scholarly articles in library databases, to consult research guides, or to get help from a reference services librarian
• Search across multiple library resources by entering search terms or a title in the OneSearch search bar and selecting Search
• Get answers to common library questions in the Library FAQs
• Use the chat widget in the lower right-hand corner to connect with a librarian 24/7
• Select Advanced Search to refine your search
• Select the About tab in the top menu to find maps of the libraries or get contact information for library faculty & staff

All Queens College students, staff, and faculty can access the librarys’ electronic resources off-campus. To use databases while off-campus you must verify affiliation with Queens College when prompted.