Now that you know what a Scholarly Source is and why it is so important you need to know how to look for it. Google and the Web have lots of very good information, however, finding it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Instead, you should use HCC’s Library Databases! They are free, easy and dare I say fun! However, even these awesome resources have their limitations.
Keep in mind that you should avoid popular Newspapers and Magazine articles. These two popular resources do not go through a review process and therefore are not fully reliable. When in doubt, check to see if your article has its own Reference or Work-Cited page. If you do not see this AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
Having problems loging on? Remember your password for all library resources is Your Student ID# (8 digits) and the password is the last four digits of that SAME number.
If you are ever in doubt about whether a source is scholarly you should email your professor before the assignment is due! This simple email can save your grade!
While the HCC library has many good resources, if you want to do well on your paper I highly recommend that you use the databases listed in the four boxes below.
Remeber: All scholarly sources have their own Work Cited or Reference pages. If you do not see a Work Cited or Reference Page AVOID AT ALL COST!
When it comes to scholarly research it does not get better than JSTOR! JSTOR is what the professional researchers use because everything in JSTOR is scholarly! In other words... if you find it in JSTOR then you KNOW without a doubt that it will impress your professor!
History Reference Center is also a good place to look for scholarly resources BUT not everything in this database is scholarly. In order to ensure that your article is scholarly be sure to click on the "Peer Reviewed" button on the right hand side of the page under the menu box intitled "Publication Type." Remember a good resource has its own Work Cited or Reference page. If you do not see a Reference or Work Cited page AVOID AT ALL COST!
Academic Search Complete is another good resource, however, much like History Reference Center, it has BOTH scholarly and none scholarly resources. To ensure that all of your resources are scholarly click on the "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journal" in the left side of the page under the "Full Text" button. Remember a good resource has its own Work Cited or Reference page. If you do not see a Reference or Work Cited page AVOID AT ALL COST!
Biography in Context is not only informative and scholarly but it is also fun. It is truly a mash-up database that not only includes print sources but also video, audio and even in some cases interactive maps! This database has both scholarly and none scholarly sources so be sure that the source you use has its own Work Cited page!