Introduction to Library Services at MCTC

 As an MCTC student you have access to a variety of library resources.  For the school year, you can use the print resources at the Drinko Library at Marshall University. This means you can check out books and DVDs and use the magazines and other periodicals in the library. You will need you MCTC ID card to check out materials.  See for information about the MU libraries. Call or if you have questions.

 MCTC students have access to many databases. Log on to MyMCTC, go to Student Services and Financial Aid, and select Library Services.  For questions about computers and printing contact the MCTC Help Desk at: tion_services/help_desk. tion_services/help_desk

 Remember, the library (college or public) is the best place to start your research. If you don’t already have one, get a library card at your local public library!  Get to know the people and places of your local library – what are their hours? who are the library staff? where do you check things out? where are the reference books?  Identify what types of materials the library has and what you need for your research.

When in doubt, ask the librarian or your instructor.

 Primary sources are original materials on which other research is based. It includes documents such as poems, diaries, court records, interviews, surveys, and fieldwork. It also includes research results generated by experiments, which are published as journal articles in some fields of study. They are also sets of data, such as census statistics, which have been tabulated, but not interpreted.  from

 Secondary sources describe or analyze the primary sources. Examples of secondary sources include: dictionaries, encyclopedias, textbooks, and books and articles that interpret or review research works.  A few secondary sources are now available on the Web.  from

 Examples of tertiary sources includes indexes and abstracts which serve to locate secondary and primary sources. An index will provide a citation which fully identifies the work: author, title of article, title of journal or book, publisher and date of publication, For a journal it will include the volume, issue and pagination. An abstract is a summary of the work being cited. Many indexes and abstract are available now online.  from

 What types of things make up primary, secondary and tertiary sources? ◦ Books ◦ Serial publications and periodicals ◦ Electronic resources and databases

 Also called monographs  Main source in many fields of research and study  Take a while to produce (some books take years from conception to publication)  Can become obsolete quickly  Includes encyclopedias and handbooks

 Called serials because they come as a series (more than one)  Serials generally refer to scientific publications and gather together research from the same field  Often published by universities  Geared towards recent research

 Called periodicals because they come out periodically (more frequently than books – think newspapers and magazines)  Scholarly journals a written by experts or scholars in the field  Peer reviewed journals contain articles written and reviewed by experts and scholars in the field  Some serials, periodicals and journals can be found either online, through subscription databases, or on microfilm as well as in hardcopy (paper)

 Electronic resources can be found either free or for a fee  The most popular electronic resource is the internet  Most libraries provide access to electronic databases for their patrons (customers)  At MCTC you have access to quite a few databases that can be accessed through MyMCTC or through the West Virginia Library Commission at

 Library databases contain information from published works. Examples: Magazine and newspaper articles, encyclopedias and other reference books.  Library databases are searchable. By Keywords, Subject, Author, Magazine Title, Date, etc.  From

 Library databases provide citation information. Author, if available, Title of Article, Publication (Title of Magazine, Newspaper, or Reference Book), Publisher, Date of Publication  Library databases often contain full-text articles. You can print or an entire article.  From

 EBSCOHost Web is a great collection of general databases: for example MasterFile Premier was designed specifically for public libraries, this multidisciplinary database provides full text for more than 2,050 general reference publications, more than 350 full text reference books, 84,606 biographies, 88,463 primary source documents, and an image collection of 107,135 photos, maps and flags. (Courtesy of the WV Library Commission)WV Library Commission

 EBSCOHost Web also includes databases geared towards research in business, health, English, the environment and library science.  The database Points of View is a great place to start research. The Points of View Reference Center™ is a full-text database designed to provide students with a series of essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. The database provides 200 topics, each with an overview (objective background/description), point (argument) and counterpoint (opposing argument).

 Lexis Nexis is a comprehensive database provides full-text documents from over 5,900 news, business, legal, medical, and reference publications with a variety of flexible search options.  Learning Express Library is a comprehensive, interactive online learning platform of practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help students succeed with academic or licensing tests. Tests have immediate scoring, complete answer explanations, and an individualized analysis of results. Tests include GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, AP, TOEFL, PRAXIS, CBEST, as well as grammar, writing, and math skills improvement, and many others.

 It is very important to critically evaluate the sources you are using for your research. You want to make sure that you have the most reliable and appropriate information.

 You can find information about evaluating sources on the following sites: ◦ / / ◦ rgraduates_eval_sources.asp rgraduates_eval_sources.asp ◦ _popular.asp _popular.asp ◦ h/skill26.htm h/skill26.htm

 Searching a library catalog or a database are similar. In fact, it is similar to doing a Google search but your results will be a lot more helpful!

 Generally you have several options when searching a library catalog or database. You can do a simple search by title, author, or keyword  You can do an advanced search and use more than one search field (title AND author, for example)  Many databases and some library catalogs let you limit your search even more. For example you can choose a date range, language, resources type, etc…  Take a look at the next few slides for examples from EBSCO (database) and the Cabell County Public Library catalog

 Basic search

 Advanced search

 Results of advanced search

 Basic search

 Advanced search

 What is plagiarism? ◦ According to Encyclopedia Britannica, plagiarism is “the act of taking the writings of another person and passing them off as one's own. The fraudulence is closely related to forgery and piracy-practices generally in violation of copyright laws.” plagiarism. (n.d.). © Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.. Retrieved August 06, 2009, from website:

 Sometimes plagiarism occurs on purpose and sometimes it is an accident (many students get in trouble with plagiarism by cutting and pasting information from the internet!)  Plagiarism is considered Academic Dishonesty and a student caught plagiarizing could be subject to academic sanctions

 If you are using a direct quote (the exact words from the original) you have to cite the source  To avoid this, you can paraphrase. Paraphrasing is restating what the original source says in your own words  If you do quote, paraphrase or summarize, begin the sentence with “According to…” or “So and so says…”  You do not need to cite a source if the information you are using is common knowledge or you are stating your own ideas or opinions  When in doubt, ask your instructor or a librarian

 There are three main citation styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago.  APA is the American Psychological Association. This style is generally used for psychology, education and other social sciences  MLA is the Modern Language Association. This style is generally used for literature, arts and humanities  Chicago is based on the University of Chicago Press’ manual. This style is used in history and social sciences. Generally it is used by graduate students not undergraduates

 Each citation style has a manual which is the “bible” for that style  There are tons of sites online which can offer tips on how to cite sources properly  Most databases now offer a citation with each article. You simply choose the style you want and a citation is generated for you.  There are also online citation generators. I recommend KnightCite at

 You can get more information about citing sources and plagiarism from the following sites: ◦ ◦ ◦ sp

 Remember to ask questions if you are not sure. Your instructor and the librarian at your library are there to help you.