The Research Process

Information needs

Finding Sources Title Card

Finding sources tutorial

Before you find a potential topic, you will want to determine the types of information required to meet your research needs.

  • Do you need primary or secondary sources, or a combination of both?
  • What are popular resources and are they appropriate to use in academic research?
  • Are you required to have peer-reviewed journal articles, or are scholarly articles sufficient?
  • Where is the best place to look for different types of information, from clinical studies to statistics?
  • How can ‘grey literature be useful?’
  • When should you consider searching outside the library’s databases for research resources?

Continue reading the information below and in the sub-pages to learn about different types of information, and when you should be using each type.

Types of resources

What are databases and where can I find them?

Where to find databases:


About databases

A  database is where you find ebooks and articles from journals, magazines, trade publications, and newspapers. Each database contains thousands of sources published in many different journals, allowing you find relevant articles faster than you would by searching individual journals.

TSTC Library Services subscribes to a large number of databases which are not otherwise freely available online.  You can browse an alphabetical list or filter by program/subject, resource type, or the vendor.  

 

Terms you may encounter in your research

  • Database: A searchable platform that contains descriptive records of articles, books, conference proceedings, audio-visual material, maps, newspapers, and more.
  • Full-text: This means you can read the item in full from beginning to end, not just the abstract or summary.
  • Peer Reviewed: Also, Scholarly Source. Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work. It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field.

What are eBooks and where can I find them?

Where to find eBooks:


About eBooks

A staple of research, these resources are often good for getting a basic idea of a topic or field.  However, they can quickly become outdated as research continues.  For technology and medical fields, any information found in an older book should be cross-referenced with a newer journal or creditable online source.

Since not all books go through the same editorial process before publication, most aren't peer-reviewed. They can still be good scholarly sources, though

 

The Library Services eBook Collection consist of titles for different subjects across all programs (as well as some casual reading titles for your downtime!). You can access these eBooks wherever and whenever you need. The library's eBooks are provided by a variety of suppliers and are available on different platforms, each with different rules and policies on loan period, download, printing and the number of simultaneous users. 

What are articles and where can I find them?

Where to find articles:


About articles

A research article is a journal article in which the authors report on the research they did. Research articles are always primary sources but vary on if they are peer-reviewed. 

Published research articles follow a predictable pattern and will contain most, if not all, of the sections listed below. 

  • Title & Author(s)
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Methodology
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • References

TSTC libraries subscribe to online collections to help you find credible materials to support your studies. Databases provide access to thousands of articles which can be found in electronic journals or searched collectively through databases.

 

Or search a database directly

What are journals and where can I find them?

Where to find journals:


About journals

A journal is a regular publication (monthly, yearly, etc.) in which you will find academic and research articles. Much of the scholarly research published today is published as journal articles. Journals, also known as periodicals or magazines, generally fall under three categories:

  • Scholarly sources such as journals, academic books, and dissertations, undergo a formal evaluation process before publication. These sources may or may not be peer-reviewed depending on the journal they are published in.

  • Popular sources such as magazines do not typically go through the same review process as scholarly resources; in many cases, popular resources are reviewed by a single editor, who may or may not have expertise in the subject area. Popular sources are generally not considered to be scholarly or peer-reviewed.

  • Trade sources are written for those who work in a specific industry. These sources tend to publish news, statistics, trends, and other information relevant to their industry. Authors can be staff editors, journalists, practitioners, or academics in the field. Trade sources are generally not considered to be scholarly or peer-reviewed.

 

Terms you may encounter during your research:

  • Journal: A regular publication of academic and research articles.
  • Serial: A broad term that refers to items published in a series but the items are separate and standalone. Examples include indexes, yearbooks and some journals.
  • Periodical: A regular publication that includes articles, stories and other text. Magazines and newspapers are examples of these.
  • Conference proceedings: The published record of a conference.
  • Full-text: This means you can read the item in full from beginning to end, not just the abstract or summary.
  • Platform: This refers to the site on which you can find and access the journal.

What are newspapers and where can I find them?

Where to find newspapers:


About newspapers

When you're looking for current information or information about a specific place, newspapers can be a great source. They're often printed daily and contain a lot of information about the city or town where they are published. They can also provide timely information about an event or issue. Searching through past holdings can help to pin down a date when something happened or show how a situation evolved.

Note: Newspapers are never a peer-reviewed source. Always consider the reputation and ideology of the editorial staff and publisher; some newspapers (like other media sources) have liberal or conservative leanings that influence their reporting.

Does the library have audiobooks?

Where to find eAudiobooks:


About eAudiobooks

The library has eAudiobook available for download.  You can listen to eAudiobooks on a variety of devices, including: Computers, Tablets, Mobile devices, Portable audio players, and eBook readers.

Audiobook Apps

Libby
by OverDrive

Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines to read on your phone, tablet, or Kindle.

Download Libby | Getting Started with Libby | Libby Help

 

Boundless
by Baker & Taylor

eBooks, eAudiobooks, and magazines, all at your fingertips.

Download Boundless | Getting Started with Boundless 

 

EBSCO Mobile
by EBSCOhost

Search eBooks and articles.

Download EBSCO Mobile | EBSCO Mobile Quick Start Guide 

What are eResources/Specialty Databases and where can I find them?

Where to find Specialty Databases / eResources:


About Specialty Databases / eResources

The library offers several specialty databases to help you through your studies and prepare for your career.   These resources are available to help you with work outside of the classroom.  You'll find resources for:

  • Automotive: searchable manuals that that include step-by-step auto repair information, diagrams, maintenance schedules, parts, and labor estimates, service bulletins and recalls. Also includes ASE practice tests.
  • Nursing: Practice exams, eBooks, and flashcards for the NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, and Nursing Assistant/Nurse Aide certification.
  • Certification/Licensing Exam Prep: Covers: Air Traffic Controller, Dental Assisting, Medical Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Pharmacy Tech, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technologist, Respiratory Therapist, Social Worker, Surgical Technologist, Veterinary Tech, Commercial Driver's License (CDL), Culinary Arts, Food Handler, Electrician, Plumbing, EMT, Paramedic, Firefighter, Nursing Assistant/Nurse Aide, NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, ParaPro, Praxis Core, Praxis Subject, NES Essential Academic Skills, and Texas TExES.
  • Job, Resume, & Interview Prep: Resume templates, interview skills, job search, and more.
  • TSIA2 and CLEP:  Lessons and practice tips for Developmental Math, Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Statistics, Reading Comprehension, Vocab, Spelling, Writing, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and General Science. 
  • TOEFL & IELTS: Practice tests, eBooks, and flashcards. Also includes resources on basic grammar and writing personal essays.
  • ESN/ENL: Herramientas de aprendizaje, carrera y ciudadanía en español. Mejorar la escritura, gramática, lectura y habilidades matemáticas. Tomar exámenes de práctica para el examen de ciudadanía y GED® estadounidense.

Visit our resources guide for an overview or use the referenced links for more information. 

What are Streaming Videos and where can I find them?

Sometimes the best way to learn is through observation and replication.  The library offers technical videos, career advice from experts, and documentaries to help support your education.  We also offer feature films if you are looking for a way to wind down after a long day.

Streaming Documentaries and Films

  • Academic Video Online
    Best Bet

    80,000+ streaming video titles spanning the widest range of subject areas including anthropology, business, counseling, film, health, history, music, and more.

  • Behavioral and Mental Health Online Best Bet

    Contain clinical mental health demonstrations, video of real clinical mental health sessions, largest amount of DSM-5®/ICD-10 video content, documentaries on the human condition, psychotherapy transcripts, client narratives, reference works, clinical mental health textbooks and workbooks, psychological experiments and more.

  • Computer Skills Center Best Bet

    Enjoy free access to more than 90 self-paced video tutorials covering computer and internet basics, popular Microsoft software applications, popular Adobe graphics and illustration tools, and Windows Operating Systems.

  • Health and Medicine
    Best Bet

    Created specifically for students, knowledgeable consumer health researchers, and health care professionals, this resource is the perfect resource for up-to-date information on the complete range of health care topics. With more than 2,500 embargo-free, full-text periodicals, reference books, pamphlets, and hundreds of videos demonstrating medical procedures and live surgeries.  

  • Nursing & Allied Health Database
    Best Bet

    Supports students, instructors, researchers, and nurses around the world with its diverse mix of scholarly literature, clinical training videos, reference materials, and evidence-based resources, including dissertations and systematic reviews.

  • O'Reilly for Higher Education Best Bet New

    The O'Reilly digital platform includes books, videos, expert playlists and audio books. Users also get access to exclusive O’Reilly content as well as resources from approximately 200 of the world’s leading publishers in business and technology. Topics range from programming to cybersecurity to project management to communications to presentation skills.

  • Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

    Digitized rare books and manuscripts from Yale’s special collections.

  • C-SPAN

    Public affairs network streaming U.S. congressional sessions, hearings, and political events.  Useful for government, political science, and current events research.

  • Europeana

    Digitized European cultural heritage, including images, texts, and audio.

  • Films On Demand: Master Career & Technical Education Video Collection

    Find essential videos that can guide you along your career path, regardless of your field of study.  Over 6,800 full-length videos covering career & job search, computer science, guidance & counselling, hospitality, technical education & trade skills, and visual communication.

  • Gale In Context: College

    Easily browse interdisciplinary content covering the humanities and social sciences, literatures, science, U.S. history, and world history.  Access news content including full-text newspapers and periodicals like The Economist, The New York Times, National Geographic, Newsweek, Popular Science, Smithsonian, and more. Empower learning with hundreds of thousands of images, videos, and audio selections that include archival film clips, broadcast video, BBC News, New York Times video, and NPR.

  • Gale In Context: Elementary

    Get familiar with teaching young researchers how to find resources they are looking for. Use this dynamic resource to enhance K-5 instruction and encourage student engagement. Contains over 16,000 indexed images, 600 videos, and 1,700 charts and graphs accessed through a visual interface to encourage student learning and exploration.

  • Internet Archive

    Non-profit digital library with archived websites, books, audio, video, and software.

  • Kanopy New

    Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video service for educational institutions that works directly with filmmakers and film distribution companies to offer thousands of award-winning documentaries, training films and theatrical releases across diverse subjects and disciplines.

  • National Screening Room

    The National Screening Room showcases the riches of the Library’s vast moving image collection, designed to make otherwise unavailable movies, both copyrighted and in the public domain, freely accessible to the viewers worldwide.

  • Psychology Database

    Combines full-text content from leading psychology and psychosomatic publications, with diverse sources of content to help students bridge theory with practice.  High impact full text from leading psychology and psychosomatic publications, with diverse sources of content including dissertations and training videos to help new students bridge theory with practice.

  • Public Health Database

    The ideal starting point for public health information for researchers and professionals. Delivers core public health literature from thousands of publications, much of it in full text. With journals, dissertations, videos, news, trade publications, reports, and more, the database covers a wide variety of disciplines ranging from social sciences to business to biological sciences.

  • Swank

    Gain practical understanding of educational concepts through the lens of popular films and documentaries.  Search through top feature films and documentaries that support assignments.

Technical & Educational Videos 

No results match the request.

How can I search only for images, figures, or tables within the Library databases?

Where to find images:


About images

Some of the Library’s databases allow you to search exclusively for images, figures, or tables. Instructions for each database are included below. All databases may be accessed from the A-Z Databases page available on the top ribbon of the Library page. 

Gale

After running your search, click images.  Notice copyright information ill appear at the bottom of the image.

EBSCOhost

If searching in EBSCOhost hover over “More” in the top banner, then “Images”. Images will reveal two options—Image Quick View Collection and ISCTRC Image Collection. We recommend selecting Image Quick View Collection.  The Image Collection search screen appears. Enter your search terms in the search box. Under Search Options you may select a specific Image Type if applicable.

ProQuest

ProQuest allows you to search individually indexed visual data representations, such as charts, tables, illustrations, and other data-rich figures using the Figures & Tables search. The Figures & Tables search is the first link located under the Advanced Search heading.

Enter your search terms in the search box. Under Search Options you may select a specific Figure/table type if applicable.

Public Domain Images

Public domain images may be reproduced, altered and distributed without permission. This is because either because their copyright expired (and was not renewed), or because the author specifically released his/her images to the public domain. However, when using websites, it is important to check each image to make sure it is within the public domain and has no restrictions on its use. Some images may be used for educational purposes, but not commercially.

Additionally, materials that you use or download must cite the author/creator and the original source.

Do websites count as scholarly sources? What about YouTube? Facebook?

Recommended Sources


About using websites

Sources can come in many formats.  The Internet holds many resources such as blogs, vlogs, wiki’s, RSS feeds, videos, audio files, photos, tweets, Facebook Pages, and many other types.  These can be a wealth of information for your research provided they are properly documented.

These sources are generally not considered scholarly or peer reviewed.

 

These sources will vary in reputation so make sure to evaluate your sources and contact your instructor to make sure they fit their standard.

What are primary and secondary sources?

What is the difference between primary and secondary sources?

Primary sources include original documents, photographs, interviews, and so forth. For example, if you are writing a paper about the book "Lord of the Rings" then the book itself, an interview with the author, and could serve as primary sources of evidence.

Secondary sources present information that has already been processed or interpreted by someone else.  So, for the same paper, a book review from a magazine or a collection of essays about the book would be secondary sources.

Depending on the context, the same item could be either a primary or a secondary source: if I am writing about people’s relationships with animals, a collection of stories about animals might be a secondary source; if I am writing about how editors gather diverse stories into collections, the same book might now function as a primary source.

What are scholarly, trade, & popular publications?

What is the difference between scholarly, popular, and trade sources?

Resource Links and Documents


Popular, Scholarly, and Trade Sources

Knowing the distinction between scholarly, popular, and trade sources is an important step for any student.  Using scholarly sources in your research ensures that your papers have academic merit and are backed by actual studies and work that has peer reviewed by professionals in the field.

Scholarly sources such as journals, academic books, and dissertations, undergo a formal evaluation process before publication. These sources may or may not be peer-reviewed depending on the journal they are published in.

Popular sources such as magazines, newspapers, and  do not typically go through the same review process as scholarly resources; in many cases, popular resources are reviewed by a single editor, who may or may not have expertise in the subject area. Popular sources are generally not considered to be scholarly or peer-reviewed.

Trade sources are written for those who work in a specific industry. These sources tend to publish news, statistics, trends, and other information relevant to their industry. Authors can be staff editors, journalists, practitioners, or academics in the field. They can be published by trade or professional associations. Articles or entries may be short and may not include references, or not nearly as many references as scholarly journal articles. Trade sources are generally not considered to be scholarly or peer-reviewed.

For more information, visit our scholarly, popular, and trade sources page.

What is the difference between scholarly and peer reviewed journals?

What is the difference between scholarly and peer reviewed journals?

Resource Link


What is a scholarly publication?

A scholarly publication, also known as academic publication, is authored for professionals or academic researchers.  They are written by experts in their particular field and are often affiliated with colleges, universities, or research centers.  

Not all scholarly journals use a peer-review process.


Peer-Review Process

Articles within undergo a formal evaluation process before publication that involves review and approval by the author’s peers (experts in the same subject area). This helps to ensure high-quality information and accuracy of results.  Peer-reviewed journals publish articles only if they have passed through the official editorial process. The peer review and evaluation system is used to safeguard, maintain, and improve the quality of scholarly materials published in serials.

It is important to keep in mind that not all scholarly journals go through the peer review process.  Checking the Scholarly/Peer Reviewed limiter in the Library's ONEsearch or EBSCOhost/Gale/Proquest Databases does not make the distinction between scholarly and peer-reviewed journal articles in their results.

If you need help determining whether a scholarly journal is peer reviewed or we recommend using Publication Finder.  

What is grey literature?

The term "grey literature" comes from the uncertainty of the status of this information. However, in cases where there may not be much information on a topic in peer-reviewed research, grey literature may prove a very valuable source of information and introduce alternate viewpoints.

Grey literature is literature produced by government, academics, business and industry in print and electronic formats, but which is not controlled by commercial publishers.  A full list of Document Types in Grey Literature is provided by GreyNet International. 

The most common type of grey literature you may come across at TSTC are:

  • conference papers and proceedings
  • reports (such as white papers, working papers, internal documentation)
  • government documents
  • technical notes and specifications
  • proposals
  • datasets/statistics
  • patents
  • unpublished trial data
  • regulatory data
  • speeches
  • urban plans
  • company information
  • social media

Additional benefits to using grey literature include:

  • Grey literature can be published much more quickly since it does not have to be subjected to the lengthy peer-review process. Results of studies may appear in grey literature 12 to 18 months before being published via traditional channels.
  • Online information from organizations may be updated more frequently than traditional published journals/books.
  • Some grey literature may contain more depth—for example, a dissertation may include some raw data not published in a journal article that author goes on to write.
  • Grey literature may provide a broader overview of an issue/topic, such as a white paper or fact sheet.
  • Minimizes reporting or publication biases; grey literature is more likely to include negative results - e.g. clinical trials.

Types of grey literature

Clinical trials are a form of grey literature and can inform current research conducted by organizations, Federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health, academic institutions, and individual health care providers. These studies investigate the effectiveness of new treatments, interventions, drugs, procedures, and devices in order to improve health outcomes for a specific population. 

Several Library databases and online resources provide access to full-text clinical trials. 

Are conference proceedings peer reviewed?

Where to find conference proceedings:


About conference proceedings

A conference proceeding is the published record of a conference, congress, symposium, or other meeting sponsored by professional association or society. Proceedings typically include abstracts or reports of papers presented by the participants. 

Generally speaking, papers presented at conferences are working papers; they are not peer-reviewed journal articles. Some conference papers may evolve into peer-reviewed publications in the future, while others will not. 

Some library databases make it easier to search for conference proceedings through search limiters.  Look for terms like "Conference papers", "Conference notes", or "Conference materials".  

How do I locate government documents? Are they scholarly?

Resource Link


What is a government document?

Government documents and government websites are generally considered authoritative, credible sources of information. Many are scholarly, and some are even peer-reviewed! But, not all government sources are scholarly or peer-reviewed. The government produces a large amount of publications including congressional, agency and administrative reports from hundreds of departments. 

See our FAQ on the differences between scholarly, popular, and trade sources to help you determine if the government resource meets your instructor's criteria.

Where to find government documents:

How do I locate research reports? Are they scholarly?

Resource Links


What is a research report?

Research reports contain the results of research projects, investigations, and surveys, and are usually published by the funder or the body undertaking the research. They can be found by searching the websites of subject associations and research organizations in addition to library databases.

Like most grey literature, they may or may not be scholarly or peer-reviewed.  See our FAQ on the differences between scholarly, popular, and trade sources to help you determine if the research report meets your instructor's criteria.

Do websites count as scholarly sources? What about YouTube? Facebook?

Do websites count as scholarly sources? What about YouTube? Facebook?

Sources can come in many formats.  The Internet holds many resources such as blogs, vlogs, wiki’s, RSS feeds, videos, audio files, photos, tweets, Facebook Pages, and many other types.  These can be a wealth of information for your research provided they are properly documented.

These sources are generally not considered scholarly or peer reviewed.

 

These sources will vary in reputation so make sure to evaluate your sources and contact your instructor to make sure they fit their standard.