Montgomery College Libraries > Pat Semple, Librarian > EN102 Techniques of Reading & Writing II, Prof. Wakeman-Linn

EN102 Techniques of Reading & Writing, Prof. Wakeman-Linn

Web Page created by Pat Semple, Montgomery College Libraries


1. Books | 2. Articles in Databases | 3. Web Pages | 4. MLA Works Cited

1. BOOKS

MC Library Catalog: Change the search engine setting to "Keyword Boolean" and create a Boolean Search Expression. There are three components to Boolean search expressions:

  • Keywords: tend to be the nouns that best describe a topic
  • Boolean Operators: AND, OR, and NOT
  • Punctuation: quotation marks for phrases, parentheses with OR

Books By Topic: Here are some sample searches using keywords and Boolean operators:

violence AND (television OR tv)
"global warming" AND ocean
tobacco AND cancer
poverty AND (global OR international) AND "united states"
Request Book From Another Campus: Go into MC Library Catalog and use the REQUEST ITEM button at the top of the page.
   
Renew Books Online: Go into MC Library Catalog and use the MY ACCOUNT button at the top of the page.
   
Help: Speak to the reference librarian on duty or call the reference desk:
Germantown: 240-567-7853
Rockville: 240-567-7130
Takoma Park Silver Spring: 240-567-1536
  

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2. DATABASES: COLLECTIONS OF DIGITIZED ARTICLES
Opposing Viewpoints
Use blue Subject Headings on opening page to search by topic. Contains information on current topics and controversial issues. Access persuasive essays, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and articles.
National Newspapers
For opinion pieces, include the word "editorial" in your search expressions.
CQ Researcher
This database covers topics that have come before Congress. Each report specifically addresses the pros and cons of the issue.
SIRS Knowledge Source
To get some ideas about possible topics for your research paper, click on the "Suggested Research Topics" in the lower right corner of the screen.
Academic Search Premier
Full text articles from 4,600 scholarly publications, indexing and abstracts for 3,500 peer-reviewed publications. Covers all subject areas.
Expanded Academic ASAP
Indexes over 3,500 titles; more than 2,000 of these are full text. Covers all subject areas.

Results can be sorted by date or relevance. To print, use the button within the database.

Here are some sample searches using keywords and Boolean operators:

violence AND (television OR tv)
"same sex marriage" AND amendment
"gun control" AND legislation
bush AND kerry AND "yucca mountain"
women AND "minimum wage"
"self image" AND (commercials OR advertisements OR ads)
(gender OR race) AND stereotypes

3. REQUIRED TUTORIALS
Plagiarism: What It Is and How To Avoid It
Remember to take the short quiz at the end.

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4. WEB PAGES

To find a reputable Web page on your topic, try these directories. These are lists of Web sites that have been assembled by librarians, academicians, or other professionals:

About
(About)
Academic Info
(Academic Info)
INFOMINE
(University of California; National Science Foundation)
Internet Public Library
(School of Information, University of Michigan)
Librarian's Index to the Internet
(California State Librarian; Washington State Library; California Digital Library; University of California)
Library Spot
(StartSpot Mediaworks, Inc.)
WWW Virtual Library
The oldest catalog of the Web; started by Tim Berners-Lee, the father of HTML and the Web itself. (WWW Virtual Library)

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5. CITATION STYLES: MLA

Here is a six-page MS Word document on formatting MLA citations: MLA: Works Cited Page


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Send your feedback and suggestions to pat.semple@montgomerycollege.edu.
©2006 Montgomery College Libraries
Last revised 2007.05.07, pps