Welcome!
This guide was created for students in the ENGL 100: Intro to College Writing course at SUNY Cobleskill. The tabs at the top of this page will guide you through resources at Van Wagenen Library (both in print and online) that should help you find, evaluate, and cite sources for your research.
Finding Articles
If you're looking only for articles--including scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles--use the dropdown menu beside the main search box to select "Articles."
Enter a few important subject-related keywords in the search box and hit the "Search" button.
You can narrow your results even further on your search results screen. If you're only interested in articles from Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed journals, look for the "Limit To" panel and click the box that says "Scholarly Sources." Your results list will be updated to weed out non-scholarly sources.
Topic Selection
-
Picking Your Topic Is Research
This short video from the North Carolina State University Libraries examines the process of selecting a topic for an academic paper and offers tips on how to refine the topic by conducting some preliminary research. Recommended for lower-division students.
Finding Books in Van Wagenen Library
1.
2.
Enter two or three keywords in the search box. You may need to try different combinations of words to find exactly what you're looking for. To limit your search to books, check the box next to "Books/eBooks" in the "Material Type" panel.
3.
Once you've found a book you're interested in, write down the "call number" provided.
4.
Look for the signs on the ends of the rows to help you find the shelf that has your book.
Books about similar subjects are grouped together on the shelves, so take a look at the books beside the one you were initially interested. Chances are good you'll find other relevant sources nearby!
If you need help, ask a librarian or staff member at the main desk on the library's first floor.