Skip to Main Content

Template - Topic Guide

Find Sources

[Keep in mind these tabs are for and should list the most valuable and broadly applicable resources. Do not create long lists of resources. If you would like to create longer lists, create a subtopic page.

In this box, please select at least 2 but no more than 5 tabs for different types of sources used by researchers in this topic. Order the tabs based on the most commonly used resources for your topic (i.e. Film might have streaming video first listed on the tabs and Sciences would have journal articles). 

If you are creating a new source type, please contact Claire. All tabs must include: 

  • A brief definition or description of essential information about the source
    • Aim for 50 words in length and try to keep all tabs roughly equal
  • An image of the source or which is relevant to the source (Contact Claire for the image to ensure it meets accessibility standards) 
    • Images should be set to 40% Width and Height, HSpace 8 and VSpace 5, Alignment set to "Right"
  • Appropriate databases or other links in which to find the source type
    • No more than 6 per source
    • Limit descriptions to approximately 10-20 words 

Please see the currently published guides for examples! 

When you are finished, delete this tab only! DO NOT DELETE THE BOX OR YOU WILL LOSE YOUR WORK.]

a stack of scholarly journals on a table, including the Journal of Interactive MarketingAlso known as "Scholarly Articles," "Peer-Reviewed Articles," or "Academic Articles" or "Research Articles," these are

  • Written and reviewed by scholars and provide new research, analysis, or information about a specific topic.
    • "Peer review" means the article is approved by other experts before publication
  • Usually focused on a narrow subject or a single case study
  • Intended for an academic audience

Find Articles: 

[For the list of databases below:

  • List the "best bet" databases for this topic followed by a link to the full list of subject databases (example below is Athletic Training)
    • If you need more than the "best bets," contact Claire.
  • You may reorder the databases list.
  • For the link to the full list of subject databases, name the link "Full List of [Insert Subject Name] Databases."]

Books on a shelf and a person reading on a kindle Unlike journal articles, books:

  • Are written on a broader, general subject
  • May contain a collection of related chapters by different authors
  • Contain less recent information

You may only need to read one chapter of a scholarly book! Find relevant information quickly by reviewing chapter titles or checking the index (back of the book). 

Find Books 

[Keep the three databases listed below. You may add additional databases or resources specific to your topic and reorder based on usefulness. Add short custom descriptions and keep the list to 3-6 resources.]

Book Recommendations 

[An optional section if you have specific books you would like to recommend. Keep this list to 1-5 books and remember, they should be broad and for an undergraduate audience. If you want to create a longer booklist on a specific topic, create a subtopic tab.]

physical newspaper and tablet with news Unlike journal articles, news:

  • Is written for a broad audience
  • Is often easier to understand than research and shorter than both research and books
  • Contains recent information

Find News 

[Keep the three databases listed below. You may add additional databases or resources specific to your topic. Keep the list to 3-5 resources and add short custom descriptions.] 

You've probably used the Google search engine hundreds if not thousands of times—but did you know with a few simple commands, you can take control of Google? 

Quotes 

Use quotes to require a word or phrase be present somewhere in the search results. In this search, the phrases "climate change" and "infectious diseases" must appear somewhere in the search results. 

Google search for climate change and infectious diseases in quotes

 

Minus 

Use the minus sign directly in front of and against a word for it to not appear in your search results. In this search, the phrase "animal cloning" must appear in the search results and the word "sheep" cannot show up in the search results. 

Google search for animal cloning in quotes and sheep with a minus sign in front of the word

 

Intitle:

Use the intitle: command to limit to search results with a specific keyword or phrase in the title of the web page. In this search, "microplastics" must appear somewhere in the search results and "Baltic Sea" must be in the title of the search result. 

Google search with microplastic in quotes and the phrase Baltic Sea after the intitle: command

 

Site: 

Use the site: command to limit to a certain website or type of websites. Find credible websites quickly by using the site:.edu command to limit to education websites and site:.gov command to limit to U.S. Government websites. In this search, Google will limit to U.S. government websites with the phrase "information literacy" in the title of the search result. 

Google search with the phrase information literacy in quotes and a site command for .gov websites

Unlike journal articles, magazines:

  • Provide information on popular topics
  • Are usually short and written for a wide audience
  • Often has glossy pictures and/or advertisements

Find Magazines 

[Keep the two databases listed below. You may add additional databases or resources specific to your topic. Keep the list to 2-5 resources and add short custom descriptions.] 

A laptop displaying Stonewall Uprising, a video on the Kanopy databaseAudio/visual resources are available in physical formats in the library (DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs) and digital formats (streaming video). 

For your assignments, we recommend using library resources rather than general YouTube videos to ensure you are using credible sources. 

 

 

Find Audio/Visual Resources

[Keep the four databases listed below. You may add additional databases or resources specific to your topic. Keep the list to 4-6 resources and add short custom descriptions.] 

glasses on top of an open bookLiterary criticism are studies that define, classify, analyze, interpret, and evaluate individual works of literature or an author's complete works.

  • Published as journal articles or full-length books
  • Peer-reviewed work of scholars
  • More in-depth critique of a work (compared to book reviews)
  • Intended for an academic audience

Find Literary Criticism:

[Keep the two databases listed below. You may add additional databases or resources specific to your topic. Keep the list to 2-5 resources and add short custom descriptions.] 

A paper with the phrase "book review" typed on a typewriter Book reviews:

  • Provide a description and critical evaluation of the book
  • Usually take a little longer to be published after a book is published (a year or two)

Find Book Reviews 

[Keep the three databases listed below. You may add additional databases or resources specific to your topic. Keep the list to 2-5 resources and add short custom descriptions.]