Longview - Introduction to the Library and Research

This guide will help MCC students with all things research and the library.

How do choose a topic?

What resources should I use?

How and where do I find them?

Where do I start? 

If you find yourself asking these questions, look no further. Successful research takes time and we are here to help. 

What are appropriate sources for an academic research paper?

• Encyclopedias are a good place to start your research, create a big-picture context, get background information, familiarize yourself with terminology, identify issues and find further readings.
• Books and eBooks published by academic presses or reputable academic publishers.
• Academic (scholarly/peer-reviewed) journals which publish scholarship in an academic discipline and are reviewed by peers, who are experts in the field.
• Professional publications for professionals practicing in the field.  Often published by associations and organizations. A good source of statistics and facts about the field.
• Websites for universities, research institutions, think tanks, associations, etc. Evaluate websites for bias, currency, credibility, authoritativeness. Use Advanced Google Search to limit your search to .edu and .org domains which should exclude commercial websites. 
• Statistics collected by the government, research institutions, reputable associations, organizations and businesses, e.g. the Pew Research Center or Gallup, Inc.  Evaluate sources for their partisan positions and points of view.

Always check with your instructor to confirm that the sources you have selected are appropriate.