Skip to Main Content

ENC 0022 - Developmental Writing (Plant City): Different Types of Library Resources

This guide is intended to assist with the research component of College Prep Writing.

Different Types of Library Resources

Research Needs

Depending on your research needs will help you determine what type of database to use.  If you would like to speak to a professional librarian about learning to use library online resources, please contact a librarian using the PC Library Information page in this guide.

Reference Sources

 

​Reference Sources

Reference Sources are excellent to use for to define a topic.  These types of documents and research materials provide excellent background information on a topic. Also, you can find something of interest in this background knowledge that allows you to expand your definition even further.  

For example, one of your search term topic could be "The American Dream".  A reference source can "define" what the American Dream is, how the term came about, how long has it been known as a term, etc.  Within this definition, look for other keywords, such as "home ownership", Industrial Revolution, etc. that provides you with other search terms.

​

Databases for Reference Sources

The databases listed below are great resources to use when you need to:

  1. define a term;
  2. find background information and;
  3.  help you develop additional keyword search terms. 

Article Databases

​Article Databases

These databases listed below can be used to find resources that support or provide more information on your topic.  The types of Documents to use are:

  • Articles
  • Reports
  • Topic Overviews
  • Statistical Data

Streaming Media

Streaming Content Through Libraries

The HCC Libraries subscribe to several different streaming media platforms to provide students easy access to video and audio content that is not freely available online for academic purposes.