Welcome to the library! This site is designed to compliment the in-class activities and discussions for Professor Moretti's College Now, English 101 course.
Databases are organized collections of information, often grouped by a particular subject. You will find credible, authoritative information, much of which you will not find on Google.
Enter your 14-digit library barcode (on your activated OneCard) to access these databases from home.
Below are some good databases to find information for your speeches. If you need more, here is a list of all QCC's databases, grouped by subject.
QCC subscribes to lots of journals and magazines. You will find many of them when you search in databases like Academic Source Complete or LexisNexis (above).
When you first try searching in a database, you may find it a different experience from searching on Google. Not to fear - databases are structured in a predictable way, and once you understand how, using databases will be as easy as "Googling it".
When searching, think about the keywords and related terms you will use. Also, consider whether your search terms are too broad or too narrow and the type of information you are looking for.
The video below, gives a good idea of how a database is structured, and how best to search.
Chances are, you do much of your current research on Google or another search engine. As you move forward in college, however, you may find your professors asking for sources you are not always able locate on Google: things like scholarly journal articles, and authoritative, credible information written by experts. In these cases, databases may be your best bet.
Google Scholar can provide some access to scholary sources. The downside is that you may not be able to retrieve the full-text of the articles you find.
Google can be a good source of information for some things though. Take a look at the video below, for some quick tips on finding better sources on the web.
While it is true there is a lot of good information on Google and other search engines, there is also a lot of terrible stuff. How do you sift through all of it?
Use this EVALUATE INFORMATION CHECKLIST as you locate resources. It will guide you towards finding accurate, relevant information you can use.
When searching, think about the keywords and related terms you want to use. Also, consider whether your search terms are too broad or too narrow.
Here are more ways to search the internet: