This Guide was prepared by

 

 

Marian Weston

Reference Librarian

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Gladys Marcus Library

 

 

 

 

october 2006

 

 

 

 

 

Use this Guide with its companion:

 

Writing the Research Paper: A Guide for Students

Prepared by Barbara Janoff

September 2004

 http://www3.fitnyc.edu/writingresources/resources.htm

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Introduction
Using the FIT Library
	Reference Desk (4th floor, 212-217-4400)
	Library Web Page:  http://www3.fitnyc.edu/library
	Computers and Printing, Photocopying, and Scanning
	Getting Started with Research
	How to Find Books, Audio/Visual Materials, & Other Resources
		StyleCat, the Library’s Online Catalog
			StyleCat Searching
			Understanding StyleCat Search Results, Records, & Holdings
	How to Find Magazine / Newspaper Articles & Information from Electronic Databases
		Digital Library
		Searching Periodical and Newspaper Indexes
		Understanding Citations
Using Other Libraries
	Public Libraries
	New York Public Libraries:  Research Libraries
	New York Public Libraries:  Local Branch Libraries
	Other Libraries in NYC & Elsewhere
Using the Internet
Documenting Sources
	Documenting Sources within the Body of the Paper
	Documenting Sources in a “List of Works Consulted”
	Citation Examples for Different Formats (using MLA style):
		Books and Reports
		Periodical and Newspaper Articles
		Interviews and Other Sources
		Electronic Sources
	Style Manuals
Works Consulted for this Guide
Special Notes and Charts:
	Truncation and Wildcards
	Boolean Operators
	Primary Source/Secondary Source
	Call numbers
	Difference between Scholarly Journal, Magazine, and Trade Journal

 

 

USING THE FIT LIBRARY

The Gladys Marcus Library at FIT occupies the 4th, 5th, and 6th floors of the Shirley Goodman Resource Center (E Building).  The entrance is on the 5th floor.

 

REFERENCE DESK (4th floor, 212-217-4400)  http://www3.fitnyc.edu/library/departments/reference.htm

Librarians are always available to assist you at the Reference Desk on the 4th floor.  Come in person with your research questions, call the Reference Desk at 212-217-4400, or send your questions by email, using our new Ask a Librarian email reference service.  Librarians will help you in finding the materials you need and give you guidance for your research project.  They will also assist you in the use of reference tools, such as the online catalog (StyleCat), the Digital Library resources and databases, periodical indexes, reference books and the Internet.  In addition, you can get a floor-by-floor Library directory (FIT Library Information Bulletin #1), a current list of hours, and many resource guide sheets (e.g., Information Bulletins: Business Reference Sources, Information on Fashion and Costume Designers & Internet Guides:  Image Searching and Image Collections on the Web, Business Resources on the Web) at the Reference Desk. These Library publications, as well as many others, are available on the Library web page.  For more information on how to contact the Reference Desk in person, by phone, or by email, check the Ask a Librarian web page at http://www3.fitnyc.edu/library/forms/ref_request/ask_librarian.htm.

 

LIBRARY WEB PAGE: http://www3.fitnyc.edu/library

The FIT Library web page is your access point to the FIT Library.  Here you can find descriptions of Library services and departments, information about the Library, such as Library hours and policies, and research guides, including Library Information Bulletins, Internet Guides, and Bibliographies, and more. In the Research Guides section, the following specific guides listed under “Research Tips” are useful for most research projects: Writing the Research Paper: A Guide for Students, Start here: How do I pick the right library materials for my research?, Searching and Evaluating Internet Resources, and Documenting Information: Formats for Bibliography and Footnotes.  The Library web page is frequently updated.  Links are available on the Library web page to StyleCat, the Library’s online catalog, and the Digital Library, both described below.

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COMPUTERS and PRINTING, PHOTOCOPYING, and SCANNING
Computers:
The Library has computer workstations on all three floors. Many computer workstations are designated for locating and using information from the Internet, CD-ROMs, and other specialized resources to which the Library subscribes. Many have links to the Digital Library (FIT’s subscription databases list), including StyleCat, the Library’s online catalog.  Uses of StyleCat and the Digital Library are described below. Open computer labs, PC (Room E601) and Macintosh (Room E509 and, with special programs, the 5th Floor Open Area Lab), are available for Internet searching, word processing using Microsoft Office Suite, and more.
►NOTES:
	You must log-on with your FIT username and password to use most computers in the Library.  For information and questions regarding your username and password, check the FIT IT department web page at http://www3.fitnyc.edu/it or call 212-217-HELP.
	Be sure to log-off when you are done or others will have access to your account.
	Personal software may not be loaded onto the Library's computers.
	A wireless connection for personal computer equipment is available on all three Library floors.
	ADA compliant computer workstations are available.
For a full description of the Library’s computer facilities and available computer programs, see the “Computers in the Library” section on the Library web page.
Printing, Scanning, DVD/CD burning:
	Black & white and color networked printing are available from most computers.  There are charges for printing.  For information on printing fees, procedures, tips and more, consult the FIT IT Student Printing web page.
	Additional printing services are available in the Library's GraphicsLAB PRINTFX, a state-of-the-art digital service bureau, Room D-529-A.
	Scanner use is free.  Users must supply digital storage media (e.g. USB flash drive/memory stick).
	DVD and CD burning are free .  Users must supply DVDs and CDs.
Photocopying:
Photocopy machines, including color copiers, are available on all three floors in the Library. All machines are self-service (with instructions posted) and require copy cards to operate. Copy cards are available for purchase from dispensing machines on each floor of the library. You will need a single dollar bill to purchase a copy card initially.  Change is not available in the Library.  Cards are reusable. For more information on photocopying, consult the Library Copier Services web page.
► TIP:  Record on the back of each photocopy you make the title, author, and page number of the original item you are copying for your research. This will make it easier for you to document your sources later on in the research process and to find the items you used again if necessary.

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GETTING STARTED WITH RESEARCH
Here are some important tips to remember when you start your research:
	ü	Speak to a Reference Librarian at any point during your research if you need help.  Contact a librarian at the 4th floor Reference Desk in the Library, by calling 212-217-4400, or by sending your questions by email, using our new Ask a Librarian email reference service http://www3.fitnyc.edu/library/forms/ref_request/ask_librarian.htm.
	ü	Read carefully any written instructions you have been given for your research paper.
	ü	Try to determine in advance what type of information you need:  Statistics?  Industry or company profile?  Consumer trends?  History?  Pictures?  Biographical information?  Are you looking for historical or current information?  Do you need several points of view on a single topic?
	ü	Think about what keywords or phrases best describe your topic.  Be flexible in your use of terminology.  Think of ways to express your topic using synonyms (e.g. cars/automobiles, capital punishment/death penalty, trends/fashion forecasting) or broader, narrower and related terms (umbrellas/accessories, contractors/private label manufacturers, flats/fashion illustration/fashion drawing).  Consult a general dictionary or thesaurus, a subject-specific dictionary or thesaurus, the Library’s subject heading lists (available on the Library web page or in print at the Reference Desk) or, of course, a Reference Librarian.
	ü	Be sure to spell your terms correctly.  Most databases do NOT correct misspelled or mistyped words and will give you a misleading result for your search, often finding “0” hits.  Go back and check your spelling.  Consult a dictionary or a librarian for help.
	ü	Also be aware that using the singular or plural form of a term can give you different results in an online search.  Use a truncation symbol (a symbol that can be used at the end of a word to retrieve variant spellings).  See below for details on truncation, wildcards, and Boolean operators.
	ü	Look for an overview of your topic in a reference book, such as a subject-specific encyclopedia or handbook.
	ü	Always keep track of your research.  Make a list of the resources you use from the very start and remember to add each new source consulted to your list.  Having this information will allow you to refer back to an item you used previously as well as help you easily compile your List of Works Consulted near the end of the research process.

  

HOW TO FIND BOOKS, AUDIO/VISUAL MATERIALS, & OTHER RESOURCES:
STYLECAT, THE LIBRARY’S ONLINE CATALOG
Books, videos, DVDs, slides, magazines/serial titles (not the articles themselves), electronic resources, picture files, and other non-print materials owned by the FIT Library are listed in StyleCat, the Library's online public access catalog.  StyleCat is available on computers in the Library and remotely through the Library web page at http://www3.fitnyc.edu/library.
► TIPS:
	StyleCat is the name of the Library’s catalog, which is produced by the Ex Libris Company using ALEPH software.  Do not be concerned if you see these names when you are using one of the advanced features of StyleCat.
	Online Help, providing additional instructions to those below, is available on most StyleCat screens.

 

STYLECAT SEARCHING:

You can search StyleCat by entering your search word or words, selecting a field or index, applying limits (if available and desired), and clicking on the Go button.  StyleCat has two search pages: Basic Search and Advanced Search.

 

BASIC SEARCH

 

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The Basic Search page offers two types of basic searches, the Basic Keyword Search and the Basic Browse Search. This is the default screen that appears when you enter StyleCat.

 

Basic Keyword Search:

 

The Basic Keyword Search enables you to find records by entering words, phrases, or identifying numbers.  The search looks for the word or phrase anywhere in the field that you select to search. You can indicate whether the words you have entered need to be next to each other or not.  If you do not require the words be next to each other, the exact order of the search terms is not important. Be careful when using punctuation; you may get differing results by including or excluding a punctuation symbol. 

 

Some fields available to search using Basic Keyword Search include:

 

All Fields        Locates a word or words appearing anywhere in the record, including author, title, publisher, contents notes, and subject headings. 

                        ►TIP:  This is the default option; use if you are not sure which field to choose.

Author             Use for individual name and for corporate or organization names as authors.

►TIP:  For information ABOUT a specific author or person, search in the Subject field.

Title                Searches for words in the title, subtitle, and contents notes.

Series              Searches for words in the series title. (e.g., American Popular Culture through History)

Subject            Searches for words in the assigned subject heading or headings.

                        ►TIP:  If you get no results in a subject search, try an "All Fields" search.

Publisher         Use for name of publisher and/or city of publication

Year                Searches for the year of publication.

ISBN               Searches for the ISBN [number] assigned to a book.

 

►TIP: Use a Keyword Search if you don’t know the exact title, author, or subject that you need.

 

 

Truncation and Wildcards:

 

► NOTE:  You can use truncation and wildcard symbols as well as Boolean operators to improve your searches on many databases. For details on using Boolean operators, see the StyleCat Advanced Search section below.

• There are many truncation and wildcard symbols that can be used in both Basic and Advanced Keyword Searches in StyleCat. 

• To retrieve more records, use a truncation symbol: a symbol that can be used at the end or beginning of a word to retrieve variant spellings, related forms of words, singular and plural forms of words, or to help if you are not sure of the spelling of a word or name. Although there is no universal truncation symbol, the asterisk (*) and the question mark (?) are commonly used.  Try typing an asterisk (*) or question mark (?) at the point where endings or beginnings of the word would vary.  For example, communicat? retrieves all the item records that have words beginning with “communicat” in the field being searched, such as communicate, communication, communications, and communicating;  ital* retrieves Italian and Italy as well as italics.

• Be careful not to truncate with too short a root.  For example, comm? retrieves all the above communication results, but also retrieves commandments, commercial, communism, communes, etc.  Use communicat? instead.  With searches that require short roots, use Boolean operators as an alternative.  For example, to find information on cats, instead of trying cat?, which will give too many unwanted results,  type in cat OR cats.

• You can also truncate the beginning of a word.  For example, ?ology retrieves all records that have words ending with “ology” in the field being searched, such as anthropology, ecology, psychology, and technology. 

• Be aware that even a simple thing such as using the singular or plural form of a term can give you different results in an online search.  Use a truncation symbol or Boolean operators to get the most complete results.

• Another way to retrieve more records is to use a wildcard symbol (a symbol that stands in for one or more characters within a word). For example, use the either * or ? symbols as the wildcard as in the search encyclop?dia which retrieves encyclopedia or encyclopaedia.

• Use the number symbol (#) as a wildcard for one character that may or may not be present.  This is useful for variant spellings.  For example, colo#r finds both color and colour.

• Use the exclamation point (!) as a wildcard for a single character that must be present.  For example, wom!n retrieves woman and women.

• To determine the truncation and wildcard symbols in other databases or for an Internet search engine you are using, check online Help or ask a Reference Librarian. 

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Basic Browse Search:

 

The Basic Browse Search enables you to find records by creating an alphabetical or numerical list beginning with the word, phrase, or identifying number that you enter.  Think of browsing through a list like using the white pages of the phone book.  In a Browse Search, phrases must be entered in the correct order, beginning with the first word. The text that you enter appears as the second choice in a scrollable alphabetic or numerical list.  For example, if you enter Great Gatsby in a title browse search, you get an alphabetical list (see image below) beginning with The great gardens of England, then, second on the list, Great Gatsby, followed by several listing for editions of the Great Gatsby, including an audio cassette and a video, then Great Georgian houses of America, Great German short novels and stories, etc. The list indicates the number of records for each entry.  You can click on the underlined entry to see the associated records for that entry. 

 

 

Some fields available to search using Browse Search include:
 

Title	Start with the first word of title; you do not need to include the entire title.  Omit the first article: A, An, The, etc.
Author	last name first name (Capitalization & punctuation are not necessary.)
	►TIP:  For information ABOUT a specific author or person, search the Subject field.
Series	Start with first word of series.  Omit the first article. (e.g., Opposing Viewpoints)
Subject	Searches for exact assigned subject heading or headings.
	►TIP:    If you are not sure of the exact subject heading or you get no results, try the same search in a Basic Keyword or Advanced Search.
Document type	Searches for records by type, e.g. video, serials, thesis, computer software, etc. ►TIP:   See the Advanced Search screen for a drop-down list of document types.
Call number        on Item	Use to locate records from the call number.  If you have a call number but forgot to write the location, author, and title, you can try to find the missing information with this search.

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ADVANCED SEARCH

 

 

Advanced Search:

 

Using Advanced Search allows you to narrow or enlarge your search using Boolean operators and/or a variety of limits in combination and, thereby, focuses your search more precisely.  Advanced Search is actually another Keyword search, enabling you to find records by entering keywords, phrases, or identifying numbers. As in the Basic Keyword search described above, the Advanced Search looks for the keyword or phrase anywhere in the field or fields that you select to search. The exact order of the search terms is not important. Be careful when using punctuation; you may get differing results by including or excluding a punctuation symbol. You can combine search terms and use more than one field to search by using the Boolean operators: AND, OR, NOT (see below).  You can also use truncation and wildcard symbols; see details in the Basic Keyword Search section above.

 

In an Advanced Search, you can also limit your search by Language, Year (of publication), Format, Collection (in the Library), or Document Type. Select limits from the offered drop-down menus. For example, if you need to find videos on marketing, type in marketing, select subject as the field to be searched, and select the limit of DVD, Video under Format. The Results List for this search includes over 50 titles.  In another example, “Limit by Collection” allows you to search for results limited to a specific Library collection, such as books in Art Reference or items in Special Collections or books in the Main Stacks (most books in the Main Stacks can be checked out of the Library).  

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Boolean Operators:

 

With Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) you can combine your search terms to narrow or broaden your results.

 

AND narrows your search because it requires that all of your search terms must appear.  AND is the

   default operator.  For example:

retail AND england retrieves all records that have both search terms in the selected fields.

steinbeck (with author field selected) AND grapes (with title field selected) finds John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OR broadens your search to include either of the terms.  For example:

stores OR retail retrieves all records that have either of the search terms in the selected fields.

                                                                                   

                                                                               
 

 NOT narrows your search because it excludes terms from the search.

stores NOT discount retrieves all records that have the word stores but not the word discount in the selected fields.

                                                                                

                                                                               

► NOTES:

• You can also use Boolean operators in the Basic Keyword Search by typing a Boolean operator between your terms (e.g., stores OR retail). 

• Boolean operators can be used in combination with truncation and wildcard symbols. 

• You can use Boolean operators with parentheses in a search technique called nesting, using parentheses to “nest” terms and clarify their relationship to each other.  For example, a search for 'French fashion' can be typed into a basic Keyword Search as follows:  (costume or fashion) and (french or france).  The search looks for all of the following combinations:  French fashion, French costume, fashion France, and costume France, giving you a very comprehensive set of results.

• Boolean operators can be used in most databases and Internet searching.  Consult online Help of the database or Internet search engine you are using for details or speak to a Reference Librarian.

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Primary Source / Secondary Source:

 

Sometimes your instructor will ask you to look for a primary or secondary source for your research.  Do you know the difference?

 

SOURCE TYPE