LibGuides: Information Literacy: Finding Resources

Finding Resources

Use the library catalog and Oh ioLINK to search for both physical and Ebooks.

What is OhioLINK!

Oh ioLINK is a consortium of 90 Ohio college and university libraries, plus the State Library of Ohio, that work together to get you the information you need, whenever and wherever you need it.

Use the OhioLINK catalog to search for books that can be requested.

When you find a book, to access the delivery service click on “Request”. Follow the prompts.

Select Institution: U of Rio Grande & RGCC.
Your Name: First and Last.
Your “Barcode” is simply an “S” followed by your Student ID Number (Example: s300123456).
If you need a Library PIN: It is the last four-digits of your social security number.

Generally: It takes 3 to 5 business days for books to be ready for you to pick-up at Davis Library's Circulation Desk.

"Ready" Status in "My Record" from Davis Library's Homepage indicates materials are at Davis Library's Circulation Desk and ready to be picked up. An email saying "Ready" will also be sent.

Students may have books for three weeks and possibly renew the book six times through "My Record". Charges may be levied for overdue or lost books.

Tutorial Video: Requesting a book via OhioLINK

Article Databases

Academic journal article databases are online collections of scholarly articles organized by subject, discipline, or publisher. These databases allow researchers to search and access a wide range of academic literature, including peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and periodical, sometimes books or dissertations.

Journals are scholarly publications that contain articles written by researchers, scholars, and experts in specific fields of study. They are published regularly (e.g., monthly, quarterly) and typically undergo a peer-review process to ensure the quality and validity of the research presented. Journals serve as important channels for disseminating new research findings and advancing knowledge within academic and professional communities.

Periodicals refer to any publication issued periodically, such as magazines, newspapers, and journals. In an academic context, "periodical" often specifically refers to scholarly journals and other publications that appear at regular intervals. These periodicals contribute to the ongoing discourse and development of knowledge within their respective fields.

Tutorial Video: Finding Articles in Academic Search Complete

Popular Databases

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window Academic Search Complete, designed specifically for academic institutions, is the world's most comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 10,900 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. This scholarly collection offers full text coverage of information in many areas of academic study including: archaeology, area studies, astronomy, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, ethnic & multicultural studies, food science & technology, general science, geography, geology, law, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, physics, psychology, religion & theology, women's studies, and other fields. Index, abstracts, and full text for many scholarly publications covering all academic areas of study. [OhioLINK]
America: History and Life This link opens in a new window America: History and Life is the index of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present. With indexing for 1,700 journals from 1964 to present, this database is an important bibliographic reference tool for students and scholars of U.S. and Canadian history. The database also includes citations and links to book and media reviews. Strong English-language journal coverage is balanced by an international perspective on topics and events, including abstracts in English of articles published in more than 40 languages. [OhioLINK]
Art Full Text [1984- ] This link opens in a new window Offers full text plus abstracts and indexing of an international array of peer-selected publications now with expanded coverage of Latin American, Canadian, Asian and other non-Western art, new artists, contemporary art, exhibition reviews, and feminist criticism. Full-text coverage for selected periodicals is also included. In addition to articles, Art Full Text indexes reproductions of works of art that appear in indexed periodicals. [OhioLINK]
Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window A scholarly business database providing bibliographic and full text content. Business Source Complete provides full text journals in all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics. Additional full text, non-journal content includes financial data, books, monographs, major reference works, book digests, conference proceedings, case studies, investment research reports, industry reports, market research reports, country reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses and more. Business Source Complete contains indexing and abstracts for the most important scholarly business journals back to 1886, searchable cited references for many journals, and detailed author profiles for the most-cited authors in the database. [OhioLINK]
CINAHL Plus with Full Text This link opens in a new window CINAHL provides indexing for journals from the fields of nursing and allied health, with indexing back to 1937. Offering complete coverage of English-language nursing journals and publications from the National League for Nursing and the American Nurses' Association, CINAHL Plus with Full Text covers nursing, biomedicine, health sciences librarianship, alternative/complementary medicine, consumer health and 17 allied health disciplines. In addition, this database offers access to health care books, nursing dissertations, selected conference proceedings, standards of practice, educational software, audiovisuals and book chapters, as well as Evidence-Based Care Sheet. Searchable cited references for many journals are also included. CINAHL Plus with Full Text provides full text 337 of journals, plus legal cases, clinical innovations, critical paths, drug records, research instruments and clinical trials. PDF backfiles to 1937 are also included. [OhioLINK]
Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window Incorporates CommSearch (formerly produced by the National Communication Association) and Mass Media Articles Index (formerly produced by Penn State) along with numerous other journals to create a research and reference resource in the communication and mass media fields. CMMC offers cover-to-cover (“core”) indexing and abstracts for over 300 journals, and selected (“priority”) coverage of over 100 more, for a combined coverage of over 400 titles. Furthermore, this database includes full text for nearly 200 journals. Many major journals have indexing, abstracts, PDFs and searchable citations from their first issues to the present (dating as far back as 1915). CMMC contains a sophisticated controlled vocabulary and comprehensive reference browsing (i.e. searchable citations for all peer-reviewed journals covered as “core”). [OhioLINK]
Computers & Applied Sciences Complete This link opens in a new window Covers the spectrum of the applied sciences, representing knowledge on traditional engineering challenges and providing material for research concerning the business and social implications of new technology. CASC provides indexing and abstracting for academic journals, professional publications, and other reference sources. Full Text is available for more than 500 periodicals. Subject areas include the many engineering disciplines, computer theory, and new technologies. [OhioLINK]
Education Research Complete This link opens in a new window A bibliographic and full text database covering scholarly research and information relating to all areas of education. Topics covered include all levels of education from early childhood to higher education, and all educational specialties, such as multilingual education, health education, and testing. Education Research Complete also covers areas of curriculum instruction as well as administration, policy, funding, and related social issues. The database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 1,500 journals, as well as full text for more than 750 journals. This database also includes full text for more than 100 books and monographs, and full text for numerous education-related conference papers. [OhioLINK]
Environment Complete This link opens in a new window Covers applicable areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more. Environment Complete contains citations for articles from 1,200 domestic and international journals, as well as 100 monographs. The database provides full text for many of the most used journals in the discipline, and for the conference papers of the North American Association of Environmental Education. [OhioLINK]
ERIC This link opens in a new window ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) indexes education-related literature, beginning in 1966. The EBSCOhost interface is similar to Academic Search Complete. The ERIC database is the world's largest source of education information, containing abstracts of documents and journal articles on education research and practice. The database covers descriptions and evaluations of programs, research reports and surveys, curriculum and teaching guides, instructional materials, position papers, and resource materials. In 1993, ERIC began indexing education-related books, including the output of major publishers. [OhioLINK]
Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition This link opens in a new window Health Source: Nursing/Academic provides nearly 550 scholarly full text journals, including nearly 450 peer-reviewed journals focusing on many medical disciplines. Also featured are abstracts and indexing for nearly 850 journals. Coverage of nursing and allied health is particularly strong. In addition, this database includes Clinical Pharmacology, which provides access to up-to-date, concise and clinically relevant drug monographs for U.S. prescription drugs, herbal and nutritional supplements, over-the-counter products and new drugs. Health Source provides access to Merriam-Webster's Medical Desk Dictionary. The majority of full text titles are available in native (searchable) PDF, or scanned-in-color. Full text information in this database dates as far back as 1975. [OhioLINK]
MasterFILE Premier This link opens in a new window MasterFILE Premier provides full text for more than 1,900 general reference, business, consumer health, general science, and multi-cultural periodicals. In addition to the full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for over 2,510 periodicals. The database also contains full text for reference and travel books; biographies; primary source documents; and an image collection of photos, maps, and flags. Designed for a general (as opposed to academic) audience. [OhioLINK]
MathSciNet This link opens in a new window [OhioLINK] Index and summaries of articles and books on mathematical research.
MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window An index to books and articles published on modern languages, literatures, folklore, and linguistics. Coverage includes literature from all over the world. Folklore is represented by folk literature, music, art, rituals, and belief systems. Linguistics and language materials range from history and theory of linguistics, comparative linguistics, semantics, stylistics, and syntax to translation. Other topics include literary theory and criticism, dramatic arts (film, radio, television, theater), and history of printing and publishing. The MLA Directory of Periodicals and the Association's proprietary thesaurus used to assign descriptors to each record in the bibliography are also included. [OhioLINK]
Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window Newspaper Source provides full text for 185 national (U.S.) and international newspapers, including Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Times (London), Toronto Star, etc. The database also contains selective full text for 392 regional (U.S.) newspapers. In addition, full-text television & radio news transcripts are provided from CBS News, CNN, CNN International, FOX News, NPR, etc. [OhioLINK]
Points of View Reference Source This link opens in a new window Points of View Reference Source is designed to assist researchers in understanding the full scope of controversial subjects. High school and undergraduate students can use Points of View as a guide to debating, developing arguments, writing position papers, and developing critical thinking skills. Each Points of View Essay includes a series of questions and additional material to generate further thought. Also included are thousands of supporting articles from the world's top political and societal publications. The Points of View Debate Blog is a forum for students to express and exchange their unique views on topics in the news. [OhioLINK]
PsycINFO This link opens in a new window An electronic bibliographic database providing abstracts and citations to the scholarly literature in the psychological, social, behavioral, and health sciences. The database includes material of relevance to psychologists and professionals in related fields such as psychiatry, management, business, education, social science, neuroscience, law, medicine, and social work. It is a resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health, and contains over 3 million citations and summaries dating as far back as the 1600s. Ninety-nine percent of its content is peer-reviewed. Included is information on the psychological aspects of related fields such as medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, technology, linguistics, anthropology, business, law and others. Journal coverage, which spans from the 1800s to the present, includes international material selected from around 2,500 periodicals in dozens of languages. [OhioLINK]
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window Index, abstracts, and full text covering topics such as emotional and behavioral characteristics, psychiatry and psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational and experimental methods. This database includes nearly 515 full text titles and over 490 peer-reviewed journals. [OhioLINK]
SocINDEX This link opens in a new window Provides full text of journal articles, and indexing and informative abstracts for "core" coverage journals dating back to 1895, plus "priority" coverage journals and "selective" coverage journals. Extensive indexing for books, monographs, conference papers, and other sources is included. SocINDEX with Full Text features subject headings from a sociological thesaurus designed by subject experts and expert lexicographers. Searchable cited references are also provided. SocINDEX covers all subdisciplines of sociology, including abortion, criminology & criminal justice, demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, political sociology, religion, rural & urban sociology, social development, social psychology, social structure, social work, socio-cultural anthropology, sociological history, sociological research, sociological theory, substance abuse & other addictions, violence and many others. [OhioLINK]
SPORTDiscus This link opens in a new window Provides indexing and abstracting of articles and other publications on sport, fitness and related disciplines, with more than 240 full text journals. SPORTDiscus with Full Text offers international coverage of journal and magazine articles; books and book chapters; conference proceedings; and dissertations and theses. SPORTDiscus with Full Text covers sport, physical fitness, exercise, sports medicine, sports science, physical education, kinesiology, coaching, training, sport administration, officiating, sport law & legislation, college & university sport, disabled persons, facility design & management, intramural & school sport, doping, drugs, health, health education, biomechanics, movement science, injury prevention rehabilitation, physical therapy, rehabilitation, nutrition, exercise physiology, sport & exercise psychology, recreation, leisure studies, tourism, allied health, occupational health & therapy, public health and more. [OhioLINK]

Reference Sources

Reference sources are types of resource that provide authoritative, factual information on a specific topic. Examples include encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, atlases, almanacs, and directories. These sources are designed to be consulted for specific information rather than read from cover to cover.

Role in the Research Process:

Initial Stage:
- Background Information: Reference sources are often used at the beginning of the research process to gain a broad understanding of a topic. They provide definitions, overviews, key facts, and foundational information.
- Clarifying Concepts: They help clarify terminology and concepts, ensuring that researchers have a clear and accurate understanding of the subject matter.
Formulating Research Questions:
- Identifying Gaps: By consulting reference sources, researchers can identify what is already known and what remains to be explored, helping to formulate precise research questions.
- Generating Ideas: They can also inspire new ideas and directions for further research.
Citing Reliable Information:
- Credibility: Reference sources are typically written and reviewed by experts, providing credible and reliable information that can be cited in academic work.
Quick Facts and Data:
- Efficiency: They offer quick access to essential facts, statistics, and data, which can be crucial for supporting arguments and providing evidence in research papers and projects.

Finding Reference sources for your topic

Oxford Digital Reference Shelf This link opens in a new window Oxford Reference is the premier online reference product, spanning 25 different subject areas, bringing together 2 million digitized entries across Oxford University Press’s Dictionaries, Companions and Encyclopedias. [OhioLINK]
Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window The accepted authority on the evolution of the English language over the last millennium. It is a guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of over half a million words, both present and past. It traces the usage of words through 2.5 million quotations from a wide range of international English language sources, from classic literature and specialist periodicals to film scripts and cookery books. The OED covers words from across the English-speaking world, from North America to South Africa, from Australia and New Zealand to the Caribbean. It also offers the best in etymological analysis, listings of variant spellings, and shows pronunciation using the International Phonetic Alphabet. [OhioLINK]
Oxford Research Encyclopedias This link opens in a new window With today’s overabundance of information, and misinformation, students and researchers alike can be overwhelmed in identifying what’s trustworthy, what’s up-to-date, and what’s accurate. Oxford University Press has invested in the Oxford Research Encyclopedias to meet this challenge. Working with international communities of scholars across all fields of study, we are developing new comprehensive collections of in-depth, peer-reviewed summaries on an ever-growing range of topics. [OhioLINK]
Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window Very Short Introductions can change the way you think about the things that interest you, and are the perfect introduction to subjects you previously knew nothing about: from Climate to Consciousness, Game Theory to Ancient Warfare, Privacy to Islamic History, Globalization to Literary Theory. Very Short Introductions online bringing together titles from this well-known and established print series, via a highly discoverable and fully cross-searchable platform. [OhioLINK]
Science Reference Source This link opens in a new window A comprehensive research database that provides easy access to a multitude of full-text science-oriented content. Science Reference Center contains full text for hundreds of science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other sources. Topics covered include: biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environmental science, health & medicine, history of science, life science, physics, science & society, science as inquiry, scientists, technology and wildlife. Science Reference Center also satisfies the demand for standards-based content by providing teachers and librarians with articles correlated to state and national curriculum standards. [OhioLINK]
Routledge Handbooks This link opens in a new window Up-to-date overviews of classic and current research across the Humanities, Social Sciences, Education, Psychology, Engineering, and Built Environment from Routledge and CRC Press. [OhioLINK]

Basic first steps when conducting research in an academic library. For a fuller treatment of the research process visit "Research Process" tab in the side navigation bar.

1. Define Your Topic

Clear Research Question: Focus your topic to identify relevant keywords.

2. Develop Search Strategies

Keywords: Use specific and terms relevant to your topic, include synonyms.
Boolean Operators: Combine (AND), exclude (NOT), or broaden (OR) search terms.
Phrase Searching: Use quotation marks for exact phrases.
Truncation and Wildcards: Use symbols like * or ? for word variations.

3. Access Library Resources

Library Catalog (RioCat): Search for books, e-books, journals.
Databases: Access scholarly articles and journals through databases like Academic Search Complete, CINAHL.
Subject Guides: Use guides tailored to specific disciplines.

4. Evaluate Sources for relevance and reliability, also:

Authority: Check the author’s credentials.
Accuracy: Verify information across multiple sources.
Bias: Identify potential biases.
Currency: Ensure information is up-to-date.

5. Organize Research

Citation Management Tools: Use tools like Zotero or EndNote.
Annotated Bibliographies: Summarize and evaluate sources.

6. Seek Help

Librarians: Ask for assistance with resources and strategies.
Workshops and Tutorials: Participate to enhance skills.

The videos below offer tutorials for conducting both basic and advanced searches in Academic Search Complete.

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window Academic Search Complete, designed specifically for academic institutions, is the world's most comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 10,900 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. This scholarly collection offers full text coverage of information in many areas of academic study including: archaeology, area studies, astronomy, biology, chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, ethnic & multicultural studies, food science & technology, general science, geography, geology, law, mathematics, mechanical engineering, music, physics, psychology, religion & theology, women's studies, and other fields. Index, abstracts, and full text for many scholarly publications covering all academic areas of study. [OhioLINK]