Welcome to your Library Guide!

I'm your librarian,  Athena Nazario.You have at least 2 assignments which may require library research to support your work.   

For some of the information, Google is the right search tool to use to find the information you need, for example, the information provides by school districts, government agencies, and non-profit organizations (for example head start).   

For other kinds of information, current news, reports, research about child development (in journals and books), often using library databases prove to be a time-saving choice that allows for quicker access to published reliable information sources.

In the following pages, you will learn more about:

• Identifying types of information
• Developing multiple search strategies to find the information you need in library resource and on the web
• Using criteria to evaluate information
• Format citations for use in your papers & projects

 

Please watch this welcome video!

Library Basics

All current students automatically have a Skyline College Library Account.  Your library account can be used to borrow books & materials from all three libraries in the San Mateo Community College System.    You don't need a physical card.

Your Library Account  provides access to:

OneSearch  

• Search for articles, books & more
• Place holds, check due dates, & renew items
• Create a list of favorite books, articles & more

Library Databases - Our Library subscribes to many databases, including many subject-specific databases. To log into our databases off-campus you'll need to use your Canvas login OR SMCCD email.

 

 

 

Who do you trust and why? 

How do we know which information sources are trustworthy, credible, & relevant? 

Please watch this introductory video about the ways we think about the information we value.

 

Communication

Please post all general library-related questions in the Q&A Discussion so the whole class may benefit from our conversation. Please email me your specific questions.  I will reply to your questions promptly Monday -  Thursday 8am-6pm, Friday 8am-6pm.  

To advance through modules, select the "Next" button (below)

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Commit to a schedule

 

• If you have to find 3-5 sources for your paper or project, in order to find materials you can use, you will probably have to read at least 10 summaries/abstracts of articles/books for each one you are going to use.  Then you will need additional time to read, reflect, and decide what you can use from each source.  This takes time.  Budget time for the process, at least as much time as budgeted to write the paper.

 

• Your Research Process:

  

  What is the Research Process?

  A research process is a step-by-step approach for developing a research paper. It generally involves several activities

  • developing a research question
  • doing background research by identifying, locating, evaluating, and analyzing relevant information
  • synthesizing the information to support your point of view
  • presenting the information ethically by giving appropriate credit

  Some activities might be simultaneous. You might develop and refine your question after locating and evaluating your sources. Your search for relevant sources may continue after you read and analyze some sources and refer to their references/bibliographies.

 

Please watch the following 2  videos about research processes:

 

1.  Academic Research is a Conversation

2.  Choosing a Topic

Which comes first--choosing a topic or doing research?    Is it a linear process or is it a cycle?  What are the components of the research process? 

Watch this video to learn more about exploring topics and building a research question.