To all the superheroes wearing cardigans instead of capes − Happy Teacher Day!
And to all of our future educators in the Education & Training program at TSTC, we look forward to seeing you in a classroom soon!
You can check out resources for your program here: https://tstc.libguides.com/education
Amanda Suiters
4,567 Total Journals
1,389 Total eBooks
1.3 million freely accessible images, videos, documents, and audiofiles
JSTOR is a digital library of academic content covering disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences and mathematics. The collections include top peer-reviewed scholarly journals as well as respected literary journals, academic monographs, research reports from trusted institutes, and diverse primary sources.
Check out these new titles from Academic Video Online!
Amanda Suiters
Looking for a way to finish your research faster AND get better results? This short video will show you how to find online articles with EBSCO databases for your papers and projects. Includes information on using advanced search techniques, saving articles to folders, and finding auto generated citations.
Amanda Suiters
Its been shown that access to the library increases your chance of success. No, really! Using library materials (books, eBooks, databases) and attending library instruction courses can help you get higher grades and are more likely to finish your degree.
The new goods is that its easier than ever to access library resources, even if you are a remote student. Visit our Remote Page for quick access to LRC resources you can use from home. Looking for help using those resources? Visit our Staff Page to contact your local librarian for help via chat, call, or an online meeting.
Remember, we at the LRC want to help you success and care about your progress. Always feel free to reach out for help.
Amanda Suiters
Look, we get it. You've spent a lot of time putting together your powerpoint or writing your paper. You are just ready for the process to be over. You have other stuff to do, other classes to study for, sleep to get, and work to do. But before you save that document and turn it in, remember that you need to cite your sources. This is a vital step and can make a big difference in your grade.
Need help getting started on citing sources for your projects and papers? Look no further than our citation guide for example citations, sample papers, and advice on how to cite in-text.
Looking for more help? No worries! Your friendly library staff is always available to help you when it comes to formatting and citing sources. Reach out at any time for help!
So when you do research, its important to remember that everything you are reading is written by a real person. This person may have spent years of their lives researching one specific topic in such detail that it provides you with the support you need for your project. So lets say you are doing some research on the placebo effect and you stumble across this 10 year trial that has great information you want to use. But take a minute to think about that. A ten year trial. Think That means that someone dedicated 10 years of their life to this one project and that 10 years resulted in this one paper. For all that effort, you want to make sure that the author is credited for the 10 years they devoted to the research that helps you prove your point.
Some people are more credible about topics than others. You wouldn't trust your doctor to replace your water pump. You wouldn't trust your mechanic to remove your gallbladder. When you cite yoursources, the name of whoever wrote what you are quoting from goes first. Its a big statement that says "This is a person that I trust to have accurate information." It allows your instructor and anyone else that reads your paper know that you have enough knowledge on the subject to know who is worth listening to.
"Well I read online that-" "I saw this show once-" "This email was looked over by an attorney-" See a trend? None of these statements can be verified. Where online? What was the show? Who is this mysterous attorney? Usually when you hear someone start a conversation this way, you know to be careful because what they are saying may not be 100% accurate (if accurate at all). The common thread here is that you can't actually fact check anything they are saying because they don't provide enough details. Citation allows anyone reading your paper or project to know who wrote it, where it was published, when it was published, and who it was published by. By providing this info, you are again showing the quality of the source and your judgement.
The point of your coursework is to show your instructor how well you understand the subject. And while using expert opinions and information is a great way to support your arguments, its important that your ideas and comprehension shine through. By citing your sources, you are showing your instructor that you put the time and energy into researching the topic and now you are able to form your own opinions. Research is a conversation and most issues have multiple sides. Did these two well respected authors opinions differ? So why did you choose to quote one author over another? By citing other people's opinions, you are able to clearly use them as support or a springboard to refute their claims. This allows your instructor to see your understanding of the material which always means better grades.
You didn't think you'd get through a list about citation without hearing about plagiarism did you? Plagiarism is a big deal. Its a form of fraud and can get you in serious trouble. For TSTC, its an ethical issue and can affect your academic career and professional reputation. Don't risk your future by trying to pass someone else's work off as your own.
Take a look at your assignment. Chances are, your instructor has some requirements for the resources you can use. For some it may just be a number: "Use no less than 3 sources". For others it may be quality: "All sources must be peer reviewed". And for a few it can be a date range: "Sources must be published within two years of today's date." The easiest way to prove all of these is in your works cited/bibliography. By including these details, your instructor can easily check these items off the grading rubric and move on to the content of your paper. Citing your sources can often be the easiest points you get on a paper. So go through the little extra time it takes to include them and it can make a big difference on the final outcome.
Amanda Suiters
The Learning Resource Center (LRC) is available remotely to all TSTC students on and off campus. Some locations may be open face to face with limited hours so be sure to check with your local campus for details. The LRC is here to assist with educational and professional development by providing access to services and resources including:
Your TSTC WebAdvisor or ID login information may be required to access remote resources. For more information and assistance, please reach out to your local library staff on Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit the TSTC LibGuides and/or the TSTC LRC Portal Page.
Librarians will save you time with your research and help you meet your instructor’s expectations.
It’s a good place to meet socially and for group projects.
We have resources that are tailored to your needs to help you quickly find what you need.
Check out technical or leisure books, ebooks, and DVDs.
Use the study rooms for study sessions or group projects.
Access computers, scanners, and printing services.
Books, eBooks, newspapers, magazines, journals, and special collections
Multimedia resources [DVD, CDs, Audiobooks, etc.]
LRC computers and printers for on-campus use
Not sure where to get started on research? Never used a database before? Never written a research paper before? No worries! LRC staff are available to meet in person, answer questions via email, or through the telephone.
Need books or other library materials for your research? Please contact your librarian with your request! The library will try to obtain all requested titles that support programs, within the available budget. Please keep in mind that resources such as databases or periodicals will require ongoing funding and will be considered on a case by case basis.
These guides are built to help students properly research, write, and cite papers which can help them do better in their coursework.
Visit: http://tstc.libguides.com/az.php for an A-Z listing for links to all databases and eResources that the LRC subscribes to.
Visit: http://tstc.libguides.com/student to see an overview of what the LRC can do to help you with your information needs!
For more information and access assistance, please reach out to your local library staff during library hours or visit the TSTC Libguides or the TSTC LRC Portal Page available 24/7.
With all of the information out there surrounding COVID-19, it can be difficult sorting through everything to find what you need. The TSTC LRCs have put together a guide with easy sections and links to find what you are looking for regarding this pandemic.
This section focuses on information and updates from the Center of Disease Control and any information regarding government assistance.
For information on the virus itself, how it is transmitted, symptoms, and details on the importance of personal protection like masks.
Focused on issues impacting students, including links on how financial aid is being impacted, free resources available online, and tips for transitioning to online learning.
This section has links that might help TSTC faculty transitioning to online teaching.
Research is ongoing and ever changing, and this section provides tools to find articles from scholarly, trusted sources on information about the coronavirus.
Direct links to proposed laws and laws that have passed regarding COVID-19.
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