Guides & Tutorials
Frequently requested library information:
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Style Manuals and Citation Guides
Style Manuals and Citation Guides
These links will provide users with guidelines to both the basic printed and electronic forms of citation for the APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian and other styles. Printed copies of the APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, and other style manuals are also available in the Ready Reference Section of the Library.
Automatic Citation Builders
APA Style
- APA Style Guide for citing AI
- UC Berkeley Citation Guides
- Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format (Updated to 5th Edition) Purdue University Online Writing Lab
- APA Style FAQ American Psychological Association
MLA Style
- MLA Style Guide to Cite generative AI
- UC Berkeley Citation Guides
- Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab
Legal Style
- Introduction to Basic Legal Citation
- Introduction to Basic Legal Citation Open Textbook Library, Center for Open Education
Chicago Style
Turabian Style
- Turabian Style: Sample Footnotes and Bibliographic Entries - 6th edition Bridgewater State College
- Turabian: A Manual for Writers The University of Chicago Press
Citing Social Media
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Copyright and Academic Integrity
This page contains selected links to sites which explain and discuss the various aspects of Copyright Law and intellectual property concerns. If you do not find what you want or what you need, please contact the King Library Information Services desk.
- Copyright and Fair Use (Stanford University)
- Copyright Basics (Copyright Clearance Center)
- US Copyright Office
- Creative Commons (Alternatives to Copyright)
- How to Build a Creative Commons License - defines the types and purposes of CC licenses
Generative AI
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Navigating the Library's Resources
- Literature Reviews
- Literature Reviews: A Guide for Graduate Students [AV tutorial] North Carolina State University
- Finding Resources for Your Literature Review (for advanced and graduate students) [Web page] Capella University
- The Research Process [Tutorial] Clark University
- Assignment Calculator: You CAN Beat the Clock [Web page] University of Minnesota
- Reading Well and Taking Research Notes [Tutorial] Carleton College
- Overcoming Procrastination [Web page] University of Illinois
Finding Print Resources in the Library
- The Reta King Library uses a modified Dewey Decimal system for shelving books. (See the Map below!)
- How Libraries use Classification systems to shelve books Clark College Libraries defines the two main classification systems used in libraries.
- Most non-fiction books in the King Library can be found on the Upper floor of the Library building. They are arranged in Dewey Decimal order beginning with 000.00 and going around the outside of the Upper Level perimeter to 999.999.
- From the top of the stairs, or as you exit the elevator, the beginning of the Dewey numbers follows after the Fiction sections to your left.
- The Children's books section begins along the north side of the Upper Level. These include the following sections:
- Easy Readers (E) - Pre-K - Fiction, Non-fiction, and Biographies
- Elementary Readers (ER) - K-3 grades - Fiction, Non-fiction, and Biographies
- Juvenile Reading (J) - 4-8th grades - Fiction, Non-fiction, and Biographies
- Young Adult Reading (YA) - 9th grade through early adult - Fiction, Non-fiction, and Biographies
- Adult Fiction (FIC) can be found along the North to West corner walls.
- After the Fiction sections, the Non-Fiction adult scholarly section begins with the 000-099 Dewey Decimal numbers.
- The College Law Collection (LAW) is located in the West-South corner of the building.
- Across from the Law Collection is the Teaching and Learning Collection (TLC), supporting the work of the Teaching & Learning Professional Education Center.
- The College's Curriculum Collection (CURR), for Education students and K-12 teachers follows the 300s mid-way through the South side of the Library building.
- The Biographies (BIOG) section is located in the East-North Corner, amidst the 900s.
If you have any trouble locating what you need, ask a student at the circulation desk, or talk to a librarian, or Ask A Librarian.
- Literature Reviews
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Off-Campus Library Resources
Library Resource Access
The CSC Library subscribes to a variety of article and book databases to facilitate campus research. When students, faculty, and staff are on campus and using the local area network (LAN), they need only to go to the Library Learning Common's website -- http://fu0.d809.com/library/ -- to gain access to these resources.
Use the Search Box on the main library webpage to find print materials in the collection, eBooks, and Journal articles - peer reviewed and full text articles.
To access an eBooks owned by the CSC Library, go to Search Library Catalog, on the library's main webpage. When the library catalog opens, click on Featured Lists in the upper right. Then select "CSC eBooks we own".
Books:
Distance students who need print materials for their use and research may complete an Interlibrary Loan form to receive print titles from the King Library, and/or print titles from other libraries across the nation. If you have questions about Interlibrary Loan, email Christine Fullerton, Public Services Librarian at cfullerton@d809.com or call 308-432-6271.
Online Access
When students, faculty, and staff are off campus, they are no longer on the LAN. This means that an additional step is required to gain access. Because databases are limited to students, faculty, and staff, it is necessary to enter CSC credentials to access these resources from off-campus
As part of the application process, Information Technology (IT) sends a set of two usernames and passwords to new students. These usernames and passwords provide access to various campus resources, including:
- MyCSC / NUID
- Username looks like – 99999999 (8 digit ID)
- Used for – Course enrollment, Accessing grades & transcripts, Billing/payment status
- Campus
- Username looks like – john.student OR jostud
- Used for – EagleMail, CSC Online/Canvas, library databases, device registration, on campus computers login
When you try to access library resources (eBooks, article databases, etc.) from off campus, you will see a login prompt (example below). To access the library resources, enter your campus username and password.
Creating your own persistent link to an online subscription through Chadron State College:
Once you have followed the process below to access a database the library does recommend creating a sign-in using your campus email and your own password (doesn't need to be your campus email password) when this option is available from the database.
This will establish persistent, direct access to the eBook, article database, or online newspapers through our campus subscription. When sign on is available, using your campus email to access a periodical should connect you directly to the Chadron State College subscription. If you have any questions, email library@d809.com for assistance.
If you’re not sure of your password or if you have other technology issues, contact the IT Help Desk. The IT Help Desk is open Monday-Thursday 7:30am-7:30pm and Friday 7:30am-4:30pm and Sunday 1:00pm - 5pm. They can be reached:
- In person– The IT Help Desk is located on the main floor of the Library Learning Commons
- Phone – 308-432-6311
- Email - helpdesk@d809.com
When contacting IT about password issues, you will need to provide your name and permanent home address before IT can reset your password.
If you have any questions about research or how to find academic resources, contact the Library:
- In person – The Library Circulation and Reference Desks are located on the main floor of the Library Learning Commons
- Phone – 308-432-6271
- Email – library@d809.com
- Reach out directly to your subject liaison librarian.
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Finding and Developing Research Topics
Remember, the basis of any good research project is the DATA. Keep track of the sources you find by copying them or their citations to a piece of paper or a Microsoft Word document. Make sure you leave yourself a note as to where you found the resource you are using - was it a database? Web published resources may change between the time you begin your research and when you are done with it. Hang on to those web addresses. This will get you on your way to your works cited page or your references page in your research paper.
Keep good data on the resources you use in your progress toward completing the assignment! And if you get confused along the way, be sure to talk to your professor, a librarian, or a writing tutor to help you through.
Useful short videos on finding and developing your research topic:
- Finding a Research Topic [AV tutorial] Arizona State University - a very good tutorial
- Developing a Topic [Video tutorial] University of Mississippi
- How to Write a Thesis Statement [Web page] Indiana University
- Primary and Secondary Sources [Tutorial] Clark College - very good information
- Narrowing a Topic [Tutorial] University of Kansas
The Literature Review
- Finding Resources for Your Literature Review : Leaving No Stone Unturned
- Capella University
- Literature Reviews: an Overview for Graduate Students
- North Carolina State University
The Research Process:
- Research Process: Ideas for Researching Efficiently
- Two research process styles - which one fits your style?
- Clark College Libraries
- The Assignment Calculator - research and writing project planner
- Add a schedule to plan your project step by step according to your calendar dates
- University of Minnesota Libraries
- Reading Well and Taking Research Notes
- Tools that can help you be effective in your research project
- Gould Library, Carleton College
Try using generative AI to find and narrow your topic
Remember: Using AI in any part of your assignment requires permission from your professor. It also requires that you document the use/source of the information for copyright purposes, when appropriate. See CSC Academic Honesty policy, Student Handbook, and your course syllabus.
These generative AI tools have free access. However, what is free today, may not be free tomorrow. Some have subscription available. Most importantly, remember to carefully review the information you are using to ensure it comes from a peer-reviewed source. Follow copyright, plagiarism and academic integrity rules and policies when using these tools.
- Perplexity
- Perplexity is not just about answering questions; it's about summarizing content, exploring new topics or even getting a little creative.
- Consensus AI - mostly for the sciences
- Elicit - AI to help you create your literature review
- Semantic Scholar - research article abstracts
- A free, AI-powered research tool for scientific literature
- Lumen5
- Online AI video creator; free 5 videos per month; up to 2 minutes long
Is your AI tool legitimate?
- The ROBOT test - Generative AI - Reliability, Objective, Bias, Ownership, Type
What is a scholarly - academic - peer reviewed article?
- Anatomy of a Scholarly Article - click on the different sections of an article for definitions of each section
- Peer-Review in Three Minutes - From North Carolina State University, tells how an article becomes "peer-reviewed"
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Scholarly Articles and Databases
Accessing scholarly research
- Scholarly/academic, peer reviewed, and popular
- Peer Review in Three Minutes [AV tutorial] North Carolina State University
- Anatomy of a Scholarly Article[Web page] North Carolina State University
Using peer-reviewed, academically published work in your research paper ensures that the results of your work are authentic and from valid research performed in your field of study. Things to consider when selecting peer-reviewed research for your project:
- When was the information published? Usually, the more recent the published date, the more up-to-date the research is. But that is not always the case - you may want to use older results for comparison or other purposes.
- Who was the author? If the scholarly author was a pioneer of the field, has published numerous articles, or has some renown related to the topic, you may want to seek out other resources by the same scholar. Research Rabbit may be a useful AI tool for identifying the prominent scholars in the subject - but remember you must have your professor's permission to use this AI tool first!
- What is original research? Original research articles are written by the scholar or the scientist who has performed or conducted the research themselves. It is a first person narrative, such as a diary or professional correspondence. It is a difference like that between an autobiography - where I tell you my personal history, versus an biography - where someone writes my history based on my reported history from the news or other sources I did not share.
- Secondary research looks at multiple studies and is not considered original research, per se.
Using the Library Search box:
The Library's search engine is called a Discovery Tool. By using this tool bar you can search for the title of a journal article, or you can search a general subject keyword. You can also search the Library Catalog for books related to your subject that are available in print form. And if you are off-campus, you can request these print items be shipped to you through interlibrary loan.
If your assignment requires you to use a specific journal for information you can select Search Journal Titles from below the Search Box. This will take you to a Journal title search within the Discovery tool and to links to the various issues of the journal title that you are searching.
Search Individual Databases will take you to a search of an individual database such as Wiley Online Library, Westlaw, or Science Direct you may want to access it through the Databases by Title. If you want to search within a broad topic or field, select Databases by Subject.
Keeping track of your resources or findings:
It is important to keep track of the resources you find as you work through the process of surveying current research. There are numerous resources that will store your papers or your links for you, including the Discovery Tool. One simple way to track your resources is to select the citation tool which in our Discovery tool looks like a quotation mark in the upper right corner of the screen, choose the Style of citation, copy it to your clipboard and add it to a document in Microsoft Word, which later may become your References document.
Jia, L., Yang, X., & Jiang, Y. (2022). The Pet Exposure Effect: Exploring the Differential Impact of Dogs Versus Cats on Consumer Mindsets. Journal of Marketing, 86(5), 42–57. http://doi.org/10.1177/00222429221078036
The database source for this research article from 2022 is the Business Source Premier. You may want to keep track of where you found the article in a specific database.
Always keep notes on what you find in searching the catalog and/or databases so your resources are easier to find later. The "doi" number and link shown above is a "digital object identifier" which can be used to locate this article in the database, or possibly on the open web, if it is open access. The database this result came from is Business Source Premier.
Tracking your findings and documenting source material will illustrate the scholarly and academic or peer-reviewed resources, almost at a glance that you will use in your research.
Searching only peer-reviewed:
When the assignment requires that you confirm the choice of resources is "peer-reviewed" there are multiple ways to ensure this in your search. First of all there is a box allowing you to filter for "Academic (Peer-reviewed) Journals only at the top of the webpage below the search term (keyword or title) entered as the term. By selecting this box you can limit the results to only peer-reviewed journal articles.
Note that the results without selecting peer-reviewed are far too numerous to review. When attempting to narrow your search to relevant scholarly works to use in your project, use filters and narrowed search terms suggested through your initial search methods. This may also help you to narrow down your research topic.
More search tools:
If you begin with a few keywords and are not finding the results you may like, the Research Tools may help find resources or narrow your topic. Research tools can be found on the left side of the screen and guides you through a subject or topic search to narrow your research concept based on the evidence available. Try using the Concept Map for additional suggestions.
- Scholarly/academic, peer reviewed, and popular
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Government Documents, Publications, and Resources
These links connect to various government web sites which provide citizen access to the myriad departments and agencies of the U.S. government and various state government activities. If you do not find what you want or need, please contact the King Library Information Services Desk for assistance.
- USA.gov (government services and information)
- FDsys (gateway for all government printing office publications)
- PubMed (citation information for over 23 million medical, life science and biotech articles)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (work and economic information)
- Census Bureau (social, demographic and economic information)
- Federal Reserve- the central bank of the United States
- Foreign Consular Offices in the United States
- Government Publications (books. guides, and pamphlets)
- Index of Government Departments and Agencies
- Library of Congress
- National Archives
- Social Security Office
- Tax Information for..
- Tax Forms and Publications
- US Copyright Office
- US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- US Department of Health and Human Services
- US Department of the Interior
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Searching Electronic Resources
- Keyword Searching
- Creating an effective search strategy [AV tutorial] University of Minnesota
- Boolean Searching
- Boolean Searching [Tutorial] Colorado State University
- Introduction to Advanced Searching Tips [Tutorial] Colorado State University
- Truncation (expanding your search)
- Truncation and Proximity Operators [Tutorial] Colorado State University
Not finding the article or book you want? Don't pay for it - send us an interlibrary loan request and we can request it from another college - FREE!
- ILL - Interlibrary Loan webpage
- Keyword Searching
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Using the Web to Find Relevant Sources
- Evaluating website quality
- Evaluating Resources: Print & Electronic [Tutorial] University of Mississippi
- Evaluating Sources for The Academic Community [Tutorial] UNC Charlotte
- Try the CRAAP test on this site - Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose - to help determine trusted sources.
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia: Beneath the Surface [AV tutorial] North Carolina State University
- Institutional Repositories
- Many universities support their faculty research by hosting their research in an institutional repository. If you find an author and the university where they work, you can check their university website for an institutional repository to see if there are more works by that author.
- These may also be called "Digital Commons".
- Institutional Repository - Prairie View A&M University
- Himmelfarb Library Institutional Repository - Washington DC
- Evaluating website quality
Campus Services
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IT Help Desk
Monday-Thursday: 7:30am - 7:30pm
Friday: 7:30am - 4:30pm
Sunday: 1:00pm - 5:00pm -
Learning Lab: Tutoring and Mentoring
Monday-Thursday: 8:00am - 6:00pm
Friday: 8:00am - 4:30pm
Sunday: By appointment only
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Teaching, Learning and Professional Education Center
Monday-Friday: 7:30am - 4:30pm
Lower Level -
Project Strive- TRIO
Monday-Friday: 7:30am - 4:30pmLower Level