Research Tips and Tutorials
Tutorials and guides help you get started with your research, including how to find scholarly journals and utilize library resources and services.
Tutorials and guides help you get started with your research, including how to find scholarly journals and utilize library resources and services.
Research Guides (By Subject or Course Number)
Guides for doing research in a particular subject area (Art, Education, Social Work, etc.) or for a specific course.
Points of View Reference Center
Presents multiple sides on current controversial topics. Each topic may include topical essays, supporting articles, primary source documents, images, and videos.
ProCon.org
Professionally-researched pro, con, and related information on more than 50 controversial issues.
Credo Reference 
Provides online access to over 500 reference books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc.) in all subject areas. This is the premier place to look up a quick fact or to search for background information on a research topic.
SAGE Reference Online
Provides access to 90 full-text specialized encyclopedias that offer excellent background information on a topic.
Guides for doing research in a particular subject area (Art, Education, Social Work, etc.) or for a specific course.
Points of View Reference Center
Presents multiple sides on current controversial topics. Each topic may include topical essays, supporting articles, primary source documents, images, and videos.
ProCon.org
Professionally-researched pro, con, and related information on more than 50 controversial issues.
Credo Reference
Provides online access to over 500 reference books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc.) in all subject areas. This is the premier place to look up a quick fact or to search for background information on a research topic.
SAGE Reference Online
Provides access to 90 full-text specialized encyclopedias that offer excellent background information on a topic.
Search for Books in LibSearch
COVID update: If you locate a book you want for your research, click on the link for the item, Sign in from the yellow box, and click on REQUEST: Place a hold with Husky Fetch. We will pull the book and have it ready for you to pick up at the Circulation desk.
Academic Search Premier (all topics) from EBSCO 
Full-text articles in biology, chemistry, education, engineering, humanities, physics, psychology, religion and theology, sociology, etc. Tip: Click the check box to limit to Academic (Peer Reviewed) Journals.
LibSearch
Search the library's physical collection (books, movies, music, government publications, etc.) along with online journals and e-books to which the Library subscribes -- all in a single search.
ProQuest U.S. Newsstream
Search the most recent U.S. news content, plus archives back to the 1980s.
Full-text articles in biology, chemistry, education, engineering, humanities, physics, psychology, religion and theology, sociology, etc. Tip: Click the check box to limit to Academic (Peer Reviewed) Journals.
LibSearch
Search the library's physical collection (books, movies, music, government publications, etc.) along with online journals and e-books to which the Library subscribes -- all in a single search.
ProQuest U.S. Newsstream
Search the most recent U.S. news content, plus archives back to the 1980s.
Bullfrog Films (Docuseek) 
A video streaming service for independent, social-issue, and environmental films.
Films on Demand
Search for online educational videos from multiple disciplines and subject areas.
Kanopy (Media Education Foundation)
Online videos that encourage critical thinking about the social, political, and cultural impact of American mass media, with a special focus on representations of gender and race.
TED: Ideas Worth Spreading
Annual lecture series on a variety of themes, including Techonology, Entertainment, Design, Business, Science, Culture, Arts, and Global Issues. English subtitles available, as well as subtitles for many other languages.
A video streaming service for independent, social-issue, and environmental films.
Films on Demand
Search for online educational videos from multiple disciplines and subject areas.
Kanopy (Media Education Foundation)
Online videos that encourage critical thinking about the social, political, and cultural impact of American mass media, with a special focus on representations of gender and race.
TED: Ideas Worth Spreading
Annual lecture series on a variety of themes, including Techonology, Entertainment, Design, Business, Science, Culture, Arts, and Global Issues. English subtitles available, as well as subtitles for many other languages.
Citation: A (Very) Brief Introduction - a video from NCSU Libraries
- Effectively integrating source material from the experts with your own ideas and accurately referencing that source material can lend support to the argument in your paper and credibility to your reputation as a maturing professional in your field
- Providing complete references enables readers who are interested in your topic to find out more about your research
- Just as you expect to receive credit for your work, other authors expect and deserve credit for theirs
If you do not cite your sources you are being academically dishonest and guilty of plagiarism, a violation of SCSU's Student Code of Conduct:
"Academic dishonesty, including but not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of student status, and resume, transcript or diploma falsification. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use by paraphrase or direct quotation, the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment; unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in selling or otherwise providing term papers or other academic materials; and commercialization, sale or distribution of class notes without the instructors’ permission."
Plagiarism can result in a failing grade for the assignment or the class as well as other disciplinary actions.
Multiple scholarly organizations and publications have developed systems for documenting and citing sources. The American Psychological Association (APA) and Modern Language Association (MLA) are two of the most common. Many good online guides are available to help you properly cite sources:
American Psychological Association (APA)
Multiple scholarly organizations and publications have developed systems for documenting and citing sources. The American Psychological Association (APA) and Modern Language Association (MLA) are two of the most common. Many good online guides are available to help you properly cite sources:
American Psychological Association (APA)
- APA Citation Style from Long Island University
Color-coded examples of how to document your sources (i.e. books, journal articles, newspaper articles, etc.) in your works cited page. - APA Style -- Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Examples of formatting papers, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, and reference lists in APA style. Updated according to the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
- MLA Citation Style from Long Island University
Color-coded examples of how to document your sources (i.e. books, journal articles, newspaper articles, etc.) in your works cited page. - MLA Documentation from the University of Wisconsin
Provides examples for parenthetical citations and works cited lists in MLA style. - MLA Style -- Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Examples of formatting papers, in-text citations, and reference lists in MLA style, according to the 8th edition of the MLA Handbook.
Robin Ewing
Professor, Research Librarian
MC 204F
(320) 308-2093
rlewing@stcloudstate.edu
Michael Gorman
Associate Professor, Research Librarian
MC 140F
(320) 308-2028
msgorman@stcloudstate.edu
Melissa Prescott
Professor, Diversity and Inclusion Librarian
MC 204E
(320) 308-4751
mkprescott@stcloudstate.edu
Jennifer Quinlan
Associate Professor, Student Success Librarian
MC 140G
(320) 308-5626
jmquinlan@stcloudstate.edu
View instructions and get help with troubleshooting.
Student Study Rooms
Reserve student study rooms for group work, available on the second and third floors of the Library.
Equipment Check Out
VIsit the Circulation Desk to borrow digital cameras, camcorders, projectors, and other equipment.
Husky Fetch
Place a hold on the books you want using the Library’s Books and More catalog, and Husky Fetch will fetch them for you.
Write Place
Make an appointment with a writing tutor.
Student Study Rooms
Reserve student study rooms for group work, available on the second and third floors of the Library.
Equipment Check Out
VIsit the Circulation Desk to borrow digital cameras, camcorders, projectors, and other equipment.
Husky Fetch
Place a hold on the books you want using the Library’s Books and More catalog, and Husky Fetch will fetch them for you.
Write Place
Make an appointment with a writing tutor.
Peabody Library - Vanderbilt University
Popular Magazines vs. Trade Magazines vs. Scholarly Journals (CSU)
Provides general criteria that can be used to distinguish between popular magazines, trade magazines, and scholarly journals.
Scholarly and Popular Materials (NCSU)
Guide to distinguishing between scholarly journals, popular magazines, and trade journals/magazines.
Provides general criteria that can be used to distinguish between popular magazines, trade magazines, and scholarly journals.
Scholarly and Popular Materials (NCSU)
Guide to distinguishing between scholarly journals, popular magazines, and trade journals/magazines.
Online Resources
Citation Styles
Oxford English Dictionary
Thesaurus.com
Print Resources
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
READY REF LB2369 .G53 2016
Official manual for MLA documentation. Print copies of the eighth edition are available in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. For online examples, see the MLA Style Center's "Works Cited: A Quick Guide."
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
READY REF BF76.7 .P83 2019
Official manual for APA documentation. Available in print only, in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. Latest edition is 7th edition, 2019.
Citation Styles
Oxford English Dictionary
Thesaurus.com
Print Resources
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
READY REF LB2369 .G53 2016
Official manual for MLA documentation. Print copies of the eighth edition are available in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. For online examples, see the MLA Style Center's "Works Cited: A Quick Guide."
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
READY REF BF76.7 .P83 2019
Official manual for APA documentation. Available in print only, in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. Latest edition is 7th edition, 2019.
