Researcher’s Corner

This is a compilation of posts  I’ve written that can help with conducting research.  Relevant new posts will be added as they become available.  My plans are to add at least one new post a month.  My hope is that it will provide a great start for budding researchers and that advanced researchers might also learn a trick or two.

Conducting Research:

1. Using Boolean Search Operators with Google:  Covers traditional Boolean and its variants.
2. Advanced Searching Techniques:  Covers truncation, wildcards, exact phrase, and nesting.
3. Broadening and Narrowing Searches:  Covers ways to broaden and narrow searches.
4. Evaluating Your Sources: Covers resource evaluation techniques.
5. Hidden Search Tips and Tricks: Provides some hidden features of Google searching, some of which are useful for research.

Places to Conduct Research:

• Researching Using Google Books: Learn how to best utilize Google Books.
• How to Use Wikipedia for Research: Examines the ways Wikipedia can be used while maintaining academic integrity.

Locating Images:

• Searching Using Google Images:  Covers traditional and image-based Google Images searching.
• Searching for Creative Commons and Public Domain Images: Covers locating and determining rights for Creative Commons and Public Domain images.
• More Creative Commons and Free Image Searching: List of websites for the aforementioned image types.

Genealogy Resources:

• Southeast Missouri:  Points to print and online, and physical places to check for material.
• Missouri:  Points to online resources and physical places to check for material.
• United States and Worldwide: Points to online resources and provides some helpful tips.

Presenting Research:

• Examining…Presentation Programs:  Go beyond PowerPoint when presenting your research.  Learn about alternative programs.
• Examining…Video Presentation and Screencasting Programs:  Discover technologies that allow research to be presented in video form.
• Examining…WordPress vs Blogger:  Decide the best platform for blogging your research.

Favorite Websites to Reference:

Purdue Owl Writing Guide:  Great for general writing help.

Purdue Owl Citations:  Best places to go for citation help online.

• MLA (Modern Language Association) Guidelines; most commonly used by students.
• APA (American Psychological association) Guidelines.
• Chicago Manual of Style Guidelines; most widely used for publications.

MU Libraries’ Basic English 1000 LibGuide: Covers many basic researching skills.

Feel free to ask questions!  I can use them to craft future “Researcher’s Corner” posts.  Also, if you have a specific question about the research process, I’ll do my best to help.

Debut:  December 5, 2012
Last edited:  February 26, 2015.

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