Getting Started

• The Guide to Academic Library Research is good place to get started with an overview of the research process and and the resources available at the Marygrove Library.
• Please feel free to contact a librarian if you have any questions.  You can also make an appointment for a personal research consultation with a Marygrove librarian.

Suggested Sources for Finding Books 

Suggested Sources for Finding Articles

• Search the Marygrove Catalog for books available at Marygrove. 
  For more help, take an online tour of the Marygrove Library Catalog
• Search Netlibrary for electronic books available to Marygrove students. 
  See the Netlibrary Quick Reference Guide for more information.
• Search for and check out books from other libraries.
• You can request books (or articles) that aren't available at local libraries through interlibrary loan.

General Interest Databases
Search these databases to find full-text articles on all topics from magazines, newspapers, and journals.

• Academic OneFile has journal and magazine articles on a variety of topics.
  see the Academic OneFile Basic Search Guide
• Lexis-Nexis Academic is a good source for newspaper articles from around the world.
• ProQuest Curriculum Package has journal and magazine articles on a variety of topics.
  see the ProQuest Basic Search Guide
• SIRS Researcher has newspaper and magazine articles on a variety of topics. 
• WilsonSelectPlus has journal and magazine articles on a variety of topics.

Specialized Databases
A large number of specialized databases are available through the Marygrove Library.  The best way to find the most relevant databases to your topic is to choose by subject from the Search by Subject page

Academic/Scholarly Journal Article vs. Popular/Newspaper Article

Academic/Scholarly Journal Articles…
• are intended for a professional audience in a particular field. They are not really suitable for a general audience and usually appear in specialized publications. They are usually written in technical or academic language.
• give a highly focused, in-depth treatment of the subject matter at hand and usually report on research or best practices in the profession.
• are written by practitioners/experts/professionals in a particular field. The qualifications of the author (degrees and/or titles held) should be noted, usually on the first or last page of the article. Also, the author(s) should be associated with an appropriate institution, such as a university, government agency, or educational organization.
• are well documented and contain footnotes and/or references.
• are usually quite long (10 pages and up)

Popular/Newspaper Articles…
• are intended for a general audience and appear in newspapers and general interest magazines.
• usually do not go in-depth on the topic at hand and are broader in scope.
• are usually written by professional writers who may have no special qualifications in the subject area on which they are writing. The author’s name may not even be included.
• usually do not offer footnotes or references.
• are normally not longer than 4-5 pages.