GETTING STARTED ON YOUR TERM PAPER
FOR "How Things Work"
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Here are some tips that can help you get off to an efficient start in writing your term paper. You'll use less time in the library and have more time to write the paper!
The best way to begin is to find several magazine or journal articles on your topic. Start with this database:
- Infotrac
And check out the How Things Work Bibliography - it lists the many useful reference books in the libraries.
GETTING STARTED
To get into Infotrac:
- Go into VIRGO
- Click on "Journal Articles" in blue-shaded area on the left of the screen, in the section "Databases"
- Click on the letter `I' (for Infotrac)
- Click on the desired selection from the alphabetical list
SEE BELOW IF YOU NEED HELP!
SEARCHING Infotrac
Infotrac provides access to bibliographic citations of books and articles, as well as full-text access to some articles.
- In the blue column on the left screen margin, select a type of search:
- SUBJECT GUIDE
- RELEVANCE SEARCH
- KEYWORD SEARCH
- ADVANCED SEARCH
- Click on any of these and then click HELP-SEARCH for a clear, useful explanation of that type of search
- Logical operators (AND, OR, NOT) can be used only in KEYWORD and ADVANCED searches
- LIMIT searches as desired. Types of limits vary with the type of search. Note that you can limit your search to just articles whose FULL TEXT is accessible.
- Enter your search term(s), then click SEARCH. Database reports how many "hits" your search produced
- Click VIEW to see the list of "hits". Each listed title will include
a complete citation:
- Name of the journal in which article was published
- Volume number, pages, and date of publication.
- Click TEXT AND RETRIEVAL CHOICES following any listed title to view its full-text (if available) or a more complete citation.
- If your search produced many hits, you may want to MARK those listed titles whose records (or texts) you want to view. Click VIEW MARK LIST in blue-shaded left margin to view them.
- Click your browser's PRINT button to print desired results
- Go to the bottom of any record to see whether you can E-MAIL yourself full-text or only the citation.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU FOUND ONLY CITATIONS AND STILL WANT TO SEE FULL-TEXT OF ARTICLES?
USING VIRGO TO GET HOLD OF ARTICLES
- In VIRGO, type in the search box the name of the JOURNAL or MAGAZINE in which your article was published
- Below the search box, click the circle to the left of BEGINS WITH
- Click on the JOURNAL TITLE button
- Click on the desired title from the resulting list
- Scroll down the journal's record to see which UVA library holds exactly the volume/issue in which your article appears. (NOTE: VIRGO provides full-text access to some journals. Look for the web link just below the journal title---and click on it.)
Now you are ready to leave the computer and go to the appropriate library's stacks to get your articles.
WHAT TO DO IF UVA DOES NOT OWN THE REQUISITE JOURNAL(S)
- Click on USER SERVICES in blue-shaded area on left of any VIRGO screen.
- Choose INTERLIBRARY SERVICES
Follow the instructions to place your request. Allow 10-14 days for receipt of requested item.
BOOKS useful to your term paper may also be found in the UVA libraries. In VIRGO, type into the search box a broad pair of terms. For example, if you are writing about the physics of the saxophone, type:
- physics and music
- Then click the KEYWORD ANYWHERE button
- Select from the resulting list.
However, books useful to your term paper may not exist in the library system. Searching for journal/magazine articles is much more likely to produce the kind of material that you need.
Another tip: when you find an article on your topic, be sure to look at the list of references cited at the end of the article for other possibly useful articles or books.
And don't forget: You may also find material pertaining to your topic by checking this website: How Things Work Bibliography. Its address is http://www.lib.virginia.edu/brown/guides/HowThingsWork.htm
ASK FOR HELP!
Science and Engineering Library Information Desk Phone: 924-3628
| Astronomy Library Phone: | 924-3921 |
| Biology/Psychology Library Phone: | 982-5260 |
| Chemistry Library Phone: | 924-3159 |
| Mathematics Library Phone: | 924-7806 |
| Physics Library Phone: | 924-6589 |
Vicky Ingram and James M. Shea
Physics Library
October 1999
E-Mail: jms7n@virginia.edu
