Archmere Academy Library: 2. LOCATE

"Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."

- Zora Neale Hurston

Developing good research skills is essential to conducting good research. Using effective search strategies - selecting appropriate keywords and using boolean searches - greatly improves the quality and focus of your search results. 

With the direction of your research now clear to you, you can begin locating material on your topic. There are a number of places you can look for information:

If you are looking for books, do a subject search in the Online Library Catalog (OLC) (click on Archmere Academy on that page). A Keyword search can be performed if the subject search doesn't yield enough information. Please note the location (Dewey decimal number or call number) of the item(s). Also take note of the circulation status - if a book is in, it will say 1/1 available (if it's checked out, it will say 0/1 available). The call number or Dewey decimal number includes the letter following the main number. For example, the entire call number for Marie Curie and the Science of Radioactivity (below) is 540.92 P26-m. That letter and number combination helps you and I find the book more easily on a full shelf!

When you locate the book on the shelf, look at the books located nearby; similar topics are almost always shelved in the same area. If you need help, don't be afraid to ASK THE LIBRARIAN!

Use the library's databases - JSTOR, Literary Reference Center, GALE In Context Opposing Viewpoints, or GALE In Context High Schools (below, left-hand column) - to find journal articles. Choose the databases and formats best suited to your particular topic; ask at the librarian if you need help figuring out which database best meets your needs. Many of the articles in the databases are available in full-text format. Passwords for all databases are on My Archmere (parent/student resources).

Use search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc.) and subject directories to locate materials on the Internet. There is a collection of helpful search engines below the OLC link (center column).