A brief overview of the library and vital services for students

1. Research on the Go
Research @ the Beach
CSULB Library

2. The Difference between the Internet and Research Databases
Internet
Anyone can create a website
Contain unfiltered information
You get a lot of junk sites with every search
Last resort for university level research!
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3. The Difference between the Internet and Research Databases
Research
Databases
Commercially published materials
Scholarly articles are reviewed by experts
Databases contents are hand selected
Use these FIRST for researching a topic

4. Scholarly
publications
Provide data or theoretical analysis
In-depth coverage of a topic
References
Peer reviewed by experts
Written by experts

5. Popular
publications
Written by paid journalists
Will provide overview of a topic
Written for general public
Vague references to sources
NO references

6. Narrows a search
Both terms appear in same record
AND
Terms have different meanings
example: healthcare AND legislation
Broadens a search
Either term may appear in record
OR
Terms have similar meanings
example: facebook OR myspace

7. Can look for multiple endings of a
word or plurals
asterisk
punk* punk, punks, punker, punk rock, punk music
“Q”
Allows you to specify how close
you want your terms to appear in
the record
Proximity
Phrase Searching
online w1 interaction within ONE word
“online interaction”

8. Selecting the right source
For Articles: Library Home Page
OneSearch: for a wide variety of research/sources
Databases by Topic: for a specific discipline

9. Review the TWO step
process for getting
journal articles

10. Get citations
from
Research Database
citation info located in the record-
usually found on the citation or
source line

11. Search for the
Article
click on the Get it @csulb Link
It will tell you if the item is available
electronically, in print (via COAST) or if you
need to request it using BeachReach

12. If the record isn’t full text
Click on SFX to
determine availability
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13. SFX box pops up
“online via”
indicates the
item is full text
on the computer
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14. Click link for “Check availability in COAST”
Determine where your volume is located
Get it off the Shelf!
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15. makes getting an article as simple
as saying, "I want it!"

16. Citing sources
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Books
Articles
In-text citations
Book Chapters
Web Sites
OWL Purdue Writing Guides
This page provides links to a variety of online
examples of citing in both MLA and APA styles

17. Get a Library Password
https://coast.library.csulb.edu/patroninfo
Go to Coast
Type in your name, CSULB
I.D. #, and a Password of
your choice
Confirm Password by typing
it twice more
If the screen shows your
name- it worked!