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You can also view/download a PDF map of library locations.
Off-campus access to resources
Unless home is a campus dorm, in order to access many Library resources you must first configure your computer to use one of two simple access methods (Proxy Server is the quickest and easiest):
Proxy Server After you make a one-time change in your web browser's settings, allows you to use your CalNet ID to accesss a licensed resource (setup instructions).
Looking for a location in the Main Stacks, Moffitt or Doe ? Here's the floorplans.
OskiCat or Article Database ?
It's important to use the right tool for the job. Choosing the "right" resource means choosing a database that finds you the kind of materials you need.
You are likely to need to use both the UCB Library catalog (OskiCat) and an article database. Which you use, and at what point in the research process, depends on what you already know and the kind of materials you're seeking.
In a nutshell: if you already have a citation (i.e. you want to find a known item), you can start with the catalog. If you only have a topic and wish to isolate articles or essays on the topic, you'll need to use an article database first.
See details about these two types of resources, when to use what, and locating results.
A catalog tells you what a library has (in Berkeley's case, libraries), the location, and whether or not the item is available (sample catalog record).
books
journals
films, etc.
Tutorial snippet: searching OskiCat (basic information on subject and keyword searching, and locating results).
Article databases
Article databases help identify articles on a topic (sometimes more than articles) and where they were published (e.g. what publications). Sometimes results link to article content online.
Access: see electronic resources section of this page. Off-campus access also requires Proxy Server or VPN setup (see For Starters tab for details).
Article databases & other electronic resources
available via the electronic resources link on the library website
view for specific subject or view general (interdisciplinary) category
database descriptions (subject, type of materials, dates of publication, if full text available)
Recommended = central resource, typically helpful for many researchers
sidebar menu (links to other types of resources in selected subject)
Remember: Off-campus access requires Proxy Server or VPN setup
identify where articles on a topic were published (in what publications)
sometimes include more than articles (chapters in books, etc.)
results do not equal what UCB owns
sometimes results link to article content online
use UC-eLinks if full text option is not provided for a result
see Where Is It ? tab for information on UC-eLinks
Primary sources
Primary sources were either created during the time period being studied or were created at a later date by a participant in the events being studied....They reflect the individual viewpoint of a participant or observer. Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during an historical event or time period
Library guide (in depth examination of finding historical primary sources)
For Your Assignment: Popular media coverage (newspapers, television, magazines) provides easily accessible access to primary source material. Other kinds exist, and will largely be identified by reviewing secondary source literature on your topic. (see class notes for specific suggestions)
What's here ?
These notes contain additional suggestions about how you might proceed to best use the resources outlined in this class guide. They presume familiarity with the general concepts and information addressed in the other tabbed pages of the guide.
A research trajectory
Topic: Presumably you've chosen a topic based on your interest and what you've learned in class. Sometimes it helps to do some preliminary searching in a database to see what others are writing about if you're undecided or unsure about your choice.
note: you may want to consider whether your focus lends itself to finding primary sources about it (contemporaneous news or magazine coverage, interviews with participants or observers, government reports, etc.).
Isolate resources likely to be of use for your focus (see suggested resources section of this page)
Search selected resources to see if others have written about your topic, or a related one (database search tips)
Select several promising results to examine closely, both for their own presentation of facts and to identify possible primary sources you might seek out.
Remember to note any result's information you might need if you end up citing it (see Citing tab).
Secondary & Primary Sources
Secondary sources:Generally the place to start to gather background on a topic, hone in on a specific focus, or see others analysis of events. Can involve finding a book or an article on your topic -- sometimes something as basic as an encyclopedia entry is a good jumping off place.
notes: secondary sources will familiarize you with names of specific people or agencies involved, issues at stake, important dates and events, etc. This, in turn, will help you searching for primary sources.
Secondary sources often have bibliographies that docuemt the materials consulted -- they may identify materials you'd like to examine (including primary sources).
Primary sources: Often are a second step in the search process -- having learned details from secondary sources that alert you to the existence of specific primary source material. In the case of contemporaneous news or magazine literature, identifying a topic and when it was news may be all that you need to get started.
Suggested resources
OSKICAT
Find books on your topic
Find periodicals you've identified as having article content on your topic
Find primary sources you've identified (see search tips section, below)
SUBJECTarticle databases:Identify article and essay content on your topic.
History, Media Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Psychology, etc.
GENERALarticle databases: Check out the interdisciplinary databases.
Often have both popular sources (magazine & news) as well scholarly
Databases by type
News (some link to article content, some link to news sites, some are international in scope):
Consider... Access World News, Historical Newspapers (ProQuest) [pre 2003], ProQuest Newspapers [to present], LexisNexis, Mideastwire.com, World News Connection...
Government information (federal & foreign): You might consider chatting with a government document specialist (see Help tab) for a recommendation regarding your specific topic.
Encyclopedias & almanacs: Do you need some background information to get started?
Entries identify key topics and issues. Awareness of these are helpul when searching other resources. Even Wikipedia (though not a scholarly source and publically open to contributions) often provides bibliographic footnotes -- which, themselves, can identify credible sources published in newspapers, books in the library collections, etc.
Archival Collections & Primary Source Databases:Most are not related to your time period or topical focus -- or they are also listed in the news or government categories. A few resources listed, like september11news.com , In the first Person..., could be useful depending on your topic.
Search tips
Catalog searching:
Materials about a topic - Search 2 or 3 terms representing key concepts of your focus.
Try different combinations of terms
Try synonyms and related terms.
Subject search - Learn the official subject terms related to your search focus (people, time period, place, topical, etc.) and use them to find other materials on your topic.
to figure out official subject terms, first find relevant results (as noted above), and then review the subject terms assigned to them
search again, including official subject terms discovered
example: iraq war 2003 and social conditions iraq war 2003 and motion pictures
Primary sources - Try searching with subject terms whose inclusion may indicate primary source materials
correspondence
interviews
personal narratives
sources example: iraq war 2003 and sources
Limit by date (materials published during a certain time; advanced search menu)
Sort results (arrange by date of publication; once you have result set)
Author search
person's name - finds books by, interviews with, correspondence...
organization's name - finds materials by agency, government body...
Limit by language (modify search to limit to English)
In many databases you will encounter UC-eLinks. When a result is not available online, this feature allows you to check the UC-wide collections and see if it is otherwise available.
A good rule of thumb: when you see the icon click on it to view your access options. Depending on what's available for a given result, options can range from online access, to checking for print copy in a UC library, to requesting an interlibrary loan.
For more information: Tutorial on using UC-eLinks.
Evaluating sources
Research is as credible as the work that goes into it! It's important to analyze the information you find, including where it comes from.
While a magazine or journal article database lists results from sources known to be reputable/scholarly, finding material via Google requires additional evaluation on your part.
Properly citing sources is an important part of your research. It allows you to avoid plagiarism and highlights your engagement with related scholarship.
In a nutshell: "Whenever you quote or base your ideas on another person's work, you must document the source you used. Even when you do not quote directly from another work, if reading that source contributed to the ideas presented in your paper, you must give the authors proper credit."
The above extract is taken from the Library's guide on citing sources. Besides providing an overview, it links to formatting rules for the major style guides in use, including those fortheMLA style(via Purdue University).
*SHORTCUT: Many databases allow you to export citations in a given style (MLA, APA, etc.) . When provided, this functionality is often found in the email options. *
Book a 30-minute appointment with a librarian who will help refine and focus research inquiries, identify useful online and print sources, and develop search strategies for humanities and social sciences topics (examples of research topics).
Schedule, view, edit or cancel your appointment online (CalNetID required)
Subject Specialists
UCB has librarians specializing in certain disciplinary subjects and certain kinds of materials (for example government documents, film, etc.). You may want to speak with one of these specialists.
Governments Documents: review individuals' "subject areas" in order to contact the government document specialist for your needs.
