ENGL 1302 @ NLC Library 

 

NLC Library Pre-test

 

HANDOUTS

• Library Essentials (MS Word) (PDF)
• Using Online Databases (MS Word) (PDF)
• Literary Criticism - (MS Word)  (PDF)
• Film Criticism - (PDF)
• Citation Guide

 

ACTIVITIES

• Start your research today! (MS Word) (PDF)
• Alternate Start Your Research
• Wikipedia?

 

Want books? Use:

ALAMO LIBRARY ONLINE CATALOG 

• A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms 
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature 
• Placing Movies:  The Practice of Film Criticism
• Studying Contemporary American Film
• The Films of the Eighties
• Hitchcock's Motifs

 

SEARCH STRATEGIES

• Boolean - AND, OR, NOT
• Field searching - Subject, Author, Title
• Quotation marks for exact phrase
• Truncation - root + variants (*) 
• Database Limiters: date, publication type, type, peer-reviewed, etc

 

Evaluating Websites (MS Word) ( PDF)

• CRAAP Test
• Michigan State University Library Website Eval
• Purdue University Library Website Eval Chart

 

RELATIVELY PAINLESS HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 

 

Use it or Lose it?  (MS Word) (PDF)-Bring this with you to Session II!

 

 

SESSION II 

 

ACTIVITY: Website evaluation review  --  What do YOU think?

 

 

INTERNET SITES

• Literature & English  
• Internet Movie Database
• Movie Review Query Engine
• Film Literature Index - Search for citations
• CineFiles
• RogerEbert.com
• Variety

 

 SCHOLARLY vs POPULAR ARTICLES

• Types of Periodicals

 

Off-campus Access -- Proxy Login

 

Want articles on film criticism? Use:

ELECTRONIC DATABASES

• Academic OneFile
• Academic Search Complete
• Expanded Academic ASAP
• JSTOR
• Literary Reference Center (EBSCO) 
• Literature Resource Center (GALE)
• MasterFILE Premier

 

SEARCH STRATEGIES

• Boolean - AND, OR, NOT
• Field searching - Subject, Author, Title
• Quotation marks for exact phrase
• Truncation - root + variants (*) 
• Database Limiters: date, publication type, type, peer-reviewed, etc.

 

OPTIONS FOR FULL-TEXT - Where is the actual article???

•  PDF or HTML in database
• A to Z Online Journal Locator
• Borrow it from another library 

 

Why Cite?

• You Quote It, You Note It - an interactive tutorial explaining what plagiarism is and how to cite sources

 

Citing sources in MLA format:

• NLC Citation Guide 
• MLA Formatting and Syle Guide from The OWL at Purdue
• Duke University Libraries  

 

Need Assistance with Writing?

• Academic Support Center

 

 

NEED HELP? Contact Us!

Call: (210) 486-5388

Email: nlc-reference@alamo.edu

 

Instructors:  Kay Garsnett, Kristin Johnson