George C. Gordon Library

The Right Tool for the Job

Depending on your topic, it's important that you choose the tool that offers you the most relevant results. Below is a list of sources you might wish to consult, based on how current the information is that you are searching for. You'll also want to distinguish between primary and secondary sources.

Primary source: An original manuscript, record or document created at the time an event occurred. Example: Declaration of Independence.

Secondary source: A work that critiques, comments on or builds upon primary sources associated with an event. Example: Article about the Declaration of Independence.

SourceToolAppropriate for...

People (Professor, Friends, Experts)

Word of mouth

Associations

Encyclopedia of Associations (REF HS17 G334), web search

Example: American Planning Association has a Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy division.

Web

Search Engine

Note: You will find a wide range of sources - evaluation is essential.

Newspapers

LEXIS-NEXIS Academic, other individual newspaper databases

Magazines, Conference Proceedings, Scholarly Journals

Databases such as Gale PowerSearch, JSTOR, or Compendex Web via Engineering Village

Books, Reference Works, Annual Reviews

Library Catalog

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Last modified: Aug 06, 2008, 16:18 EDT
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