Exploratory Paper

· You may conduct your research at the Cypress College Library. A link to the library website is provided on the canvas course site. You can search for "books and media" and "articles" from the home page. Note that the EBSCOHost databases, "Academic Search Premier" and "Masterfile Premier" are general subject databases. Some of the materials you find in these databases will be appropriate, and some will not. If something is published in a peer-reviewed, scholarly "Journal" associated with a university, then it is probably appropriate. Magazine and newspapers articles would not be appropriate for this assignment.

· The GALE database is a good source for literary criticism; it is also accessible from the library home page.

· If you find a book at a nearby university, you can request an "Interlibrary Loan," and a Cypress College librarian will acquire the book for you.

Instructions for Searching Library Databases:

1) Click the "Cypress College Library" button on the Canvas course site OR paste the following link in your web browser to go directly to the library home page: http://library.cypresscollege.edu

2) Under the "FIND" menu select the link to "Articles."

3) Under the "JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES" menu select the link to "EBSCOhost." You may also search for "BOOKS" here, but you will have to access these at the library.

4) Login to EBSCOhost. To login, enter your student id # including the @ sign and all numbers and enter your last name; click "login."

5) Select databases appropriate for your search. A menu will open with Academic Search Premier and MasterFILE Premier already selected. Depending upon your topic choice, you may wish to select other databases to search as well. For example, "GALE" or “ERIC” are databases that may also provide access to literary criticism.

6) Limit your search to scholarly journals. Click on the "Advanced Search" option that appears under the search boxes. In "Limit your results" field select the "full text" box and "Scholarly Peer Reviewed Journals." This will ensure that your search results are limited to sources appropriate for a "scholarly" or academic essay.

7) Search for articles on your topic. Type some general search terms relevant to your topic into the EBSCO search box at the top and click "Search." A numbered list of articles will appear. If your search produces too many articles, try adding additional search terms to narrow/limit your results. Conversely, if there are not a sufficient number of results, use fewer terms or change your terms.

8) Read through the titles and select a few that seem like they might be relevant or useful. Click on the links to articles with promising titles; an "abstract" with a brief overview will appear. Read the abstract to make sure the source is acceptable. Your source should meet the following criteria: 1) it must be published in a scholarly/academic journal 2) it must have an identifiable author/an "expert" in the field or area of study 3) it must be substantial in length 4+ pages.

9) Once you locate a source that is acceptable, print out the article or e-mail the source to yourself. A "Tools" button will appear to the right of your source abstract in EBSCOHost. Select either the "print" or "email" button. Article information including page numbers is provided in the "Source" area of the abstract. Click the "E-mail" option and type in your address in the "E-mail to" screen. Select to send the article as a PDF if you have that option. Click on the "Citation Format" box and select "MLA." When you receive the email, an MLA citation will be included in the MLA so you don't have to worrying about punctuating or formatting your Works Cited entry. Click "Send."