1. Library Research for PSLD602-606
Florence Tang
Liaison to the College of
Continuing and Professional
Studies for the Atlanta
Campus
678-547-6261
tang_fy@mercer.edu

2. Cornell University Library definition
of a reference librarian
http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/vocab.html
Reference Librarian
Reference librarians are
specialists in the field of
information retrieval. Generally
they have a Masters degree in
library science… They are
available at reference desks to
help you find the information
you are looking for.

3. Questions? Ask the Reference
Desk!
(678) 547-6282 (Atlanta)
http://libraries.mercer.edu/swilley/
reference/ask-us
Reference Desk Hours
M - Th 9 AM - 10 PM
F 9 AM – 6 PM
Sat 10 AM – 6 PM
Sun 1 PM – 9 PM
Add askmercer as your buddy!

6. Remember to start your research
early. Not everything can be found
full-text online or at all hours.
o Interlibrary Loan
o Interlibrary Use
o Print copies of books, journals
and loose-leaf.
o Databases inaccessible from
off-campus
o Reference Librarian

9. Books
 Good for background
 Comprehensive
 Information may not be as
current as what you would
find in journal articles or
web sites.
That might or might not be
important.

10. Finding Books
Use a CATALOG to find books
The library catalog is called
BEARCAT.
http://library.mercer.edu
When you search BEARCAT, you
will find books that are located
in the Swilley Library or another
Mercer Library.

12. A long keyword search
(soft drink) or pop or soda or cola or (carbonated beverage)
Search

13. Number of books found
with these keywords in
no order.

14. Is this book here now?

16. Links to other books
about your topic.

27. To find articles, choose a database.

29. To find articles, choose a database.

30. This shows a list of general databases.
These are called multi-disciplinary, which means you can find
information about many subjects.

34. Both are
considered
scholarly

35. “Scholarly” Journals
• Periodicals used by researchers
to share their findings with one
another and the public.
• They contain articles describing
new research or ideas written
in a formal manner that
includes background
information, methods used,
results/interpretation and
significance.
• Research articles are peer-
reviewed

36. Scholarly Journals
How do I tell?
• May contain graphs and charts.
• Written by a scholar in the field or
by someone who has done
research in the field. Degrees
attained and institutional
affiliations are often included by
the authors’ names.
• Always cite their sources in the
form of footnotes or
bibliographies
• No glossy pages or pictures
• No advertisements

37. Examples of Scholarly Journals

38. Popular Magazines
How do I tell?
• Slick, glossy and attractive in
appearance.
• Lots of graphics (photographs,
drawings, etc.).
• Articles are usually very short,
written in simple language .
• Generally little depth to the
content of these articles.

39. Examples of Popular Magazines

40. Web Sites
The good…
 Immediate coverage of an
event
 Access to information that
is not available in print
format
 Statistics
 Graphs

41. Websites
The ugly
 Self publishing medium
 No filters
 No standard
 No organizers

42. AND
A AND B

43. OR
A OR B

44. NOT
A NOT B

46. Finding Articles
• Choose the appropriate
database
• Find full-text articles OR
– Find a citation
– Check to see if your library
has the journal in another
database – If not, we can
order it for you via
InterLibrary Loan.

47. Sign in to My Research to save
searches, and marked articles.

48. Limit your search to scholarly journals
and/or full text documents or…

51. Limit the date range by
sliding this tab.

52. Full text is available.
Click on this link
Full text is not
available here, but
maybe we can get it
another way.

53. Full text is not
available here, but
maybe we can get it
another way.

54. Full text is available.
Click on this link.

57. Full text is available.
For print or microfilm Click on this link
availability, click here

59. Current Serials

60. Serials, 1st floor are located
in compact shelving.

62. Sign in to My EBSCOhost to save
searches, and marked articles.
Limit your search to scholarly journals,
and/or a specific date range.

64. Limit the date range by
sliding this tab.

67. Objectivity
• What point of view does
the author represent?
• Is the article an editorial
that is trying to argue a
position?
• Is the article published in a
magazine that has a
particular editorial
position?

68. Do not
• Share your GALILEO
password or MUID with
others.
• Upload an article to a
webpage that others can
access.
• Copy and paste sections
of an article into your
paper without using
quotations.

69. Citing
Always show from
where you got
your information.

70. http://mercer.libguides.com/PublicSafetyLeadership

83. END