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HON 100

A basic guide to using Buley Library for new Honors students.

SouthernSearch or Databases?

Let's say you're looking for an article on a specific topic. Let's say.... zombies. What should you do?

There are two options!

1) Use SouthernSearch. This is the best option if you're not entirely sure what you're going to find or where to find it. After searching, choose "Articles" as your Resource Type on the left-hand side. Each result will tell you that it's an article, whether it's peer-reviewed, how to get it, and in the top right-hand corner how to cite it.

SouthernSearch search results for "zombies" with articles filter selected. The resource type, peer-reviewed status, availability, and citation tools are circled for emphasis.

2) Use the databases. This is the best option if you want to be very specific about where you search and what you search for. If you know the name of the database you want to use, you can find it alphabetically. If you know the subject area of your research, you can choose that subject from the drop-down menu and only see databases with articles on that subject.

Screenshot of Databases A-Z page with subject menu circled for emphasis.

What About Google?

Did you know that you can use a Google interface to search for scholarly articles? And that it will tell you when those articles are available through SCSU, both on campus and off? Just change your Library Links under Settings to Southern! Want more info? Click here.

Google Scholar Search

Peer Reviewed?

Sometimes your professors will require you to use only scholarly and/or peer reviewed sources. Scholarly sources are written for an academic audience and almost always include references to other works. Peer reviewed sources are scholarly sources that have been approved by other knowledgeable people in the field. Notice that SouthernSearch will tell you when an article you've found is from a peer-reviewed journal!