ENG 111 - Burnett

A resource guide for ENG 111 taught by Burnett

As you search the databases, you'll come across a wide variety of information resources. You're probably familiar with some of these, such as magazines and newspapers. But others--like scholarly journals--might be new to you. Let's take a look at some of these resources.

Scholarly Journals. Scholarly journals are also called academic journals. If your instructor tells you to find scholarly articles, this is where they want you to look. Scholarly journals are published regularly and contain articles that report on original research conducted by experts. For example, if someone in the medical field does a study on cancer, they would write an article about their study and publish it in a scholarly journal. 

Trade Journals or  Trade Magazines. Trade journals or trade magazines are periodicals that publish articles relevant to a particular field or industry. They are usually written by professionals in the field or by journalists who have knowledge of the field. 

Reference. Reference materials include dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and almanacs. These sources are great for providing general background information on a topic (such as facts, definitions, and dates). They're a great place to start when you're first learning about a topic.

Peer-Reviewed Articles

When assigning a research paper, your instructor may specify that you need to use peer-reviewed articles. Peer-reviewed articles are scholarly journal articles that have been reviewed by experts in the same field as the person who wrote the article. This is done to ensure the quality of the research before it's published. When searching the library's research databases, you can specify that you only want peer-reviewed articles.

Step 2: Find Sources 

Through Wake Tech Libraries, you have access to over a hundred research databases. Some of these are multidisciplinary--they cover a wide range of subjects. Some are more specific--they only cover one or a few subjects. Depending on your topic, you'll likely want to try searching a couple databases.

If you want to search all the databases at one time, you can try using the Find It All search box on the library's website. 

Searching these research databases can be a little more complicated than searching Google. So if you can't seem to find what you're looking for, don't hesitate to ask a library staff member for help. We're here to help you find the information you need!

Using the Library's Databases

You can search the library's databases in two ways:

  • Find It All Search. You can use the search box in the center of the library's webpage to search all the library's databases at one time.
  • Search Individual Databases. You can search individual databases. Through NC LIVE and Wake Tech, you have access to about 100 different databases. 

Databases for ENG 111 Research

Below are several databases that may help you in your research.

 

 

A student types on a laptop.

What's a Library Database?

RMIT University. (2012, August 13). What's a Library Database? Retrieved from https://youtu.be/KKIbnNLCh8g     

If that link doesn't work, use: https://youtu.be/KKIbnNLCh8g