Steps to Research Videos by Dr. P.
Alexis Pavenick "Dr. P."
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Description of Videos
These videos are follow-alongs where Dr. Alexis Pavenick (Dr. P.) demonstrates searching different CSULB Library resources and you the viewer follow along so that you can learn the routines and practice them on your own. The Step number in the video title, for example: (1) or (1-3), references Dr. P.'s Steps to Research handout.
- Dr. P.'s Steps to Research A 2-page summary of the basic steps to research in the CSULB Library.
- Dr. P.'s Steps to Research - ADA Version A brief document that explains Dr. P.'s Steps to Research written out for machine readers.
Take Note
Some of these videos are longer than 5 minutes. I know about our lack of attention after 5 minutes, but explaining how to use library resources through a video needs your patience and your time. Practicing patience with yourself will help you do your research.
Dr. P.'s Motto: Research takes patience and time! Thank you for both!
Dr. P.'s Steps to Research Videos
What Dr. P.'s Steps to Research in the Library?
Pre-Step: Sign In and Find Research Guides for your classes/major
Steps 1-4: Choose databases to search, search your ideas, learn how to use Limiters in the databases to narrow your results
Step 5: Search using CSULB Library's OneSearch box on the Library homepage
Step 6: Use Google Scholar effectively
Step 7: Evaluate your search results to see if they are what you need for your assignments
Step 8: Set-up a Word Doc for an essay and arrange your citations in MLA Style
What are the Extra Steps?
Search & Interlibrary Loan: Details Steps 1-5, focusing on how to use JSTOR & MLA International Bibliography and also shows how to request items we don't have immediate access to by using Interlibrary Loan.
Find Journals: Shows how to find out if we have access to a journal, newspaper, or magazine, and its range of dates.
Journal Ranking: Shows how to use the databases Cabells and JCR to learn if a journal has been ranked and what its Impact Factor is. Not all journals are ranked, but ranking does often happen in physical and social science journals, and a few humanities journals.
Pre-Step
Signing into the Library and Finding Research Guides with Dr. P.
This video explains how to access CSULB library website and how to get to the Librarian Research Guides, including my own guides. These guides are available 24/7 online. They explain how to use the library resources to help you with assignments in any of your classes.
Take Note
The SignOn Process has been simplified. The video has the older method. In the current method, go to CSULB.edu. Select STUDENTS at the top-left. This will bring you straight into the Single SignOn, and then to your Apps Dashboard, where you have access to the University Library button, as well as Canvas, and other software that you will use during your time at CSULB.
Video with Quiz
Steps 1-4: Basic Database Search
This video explains how to access CSULB databases and search one of our most popular ones, Academic Search Complete. You will need to be an enrolled CSULB student or faculty to follow along completely. The video includes using search terms, limiters and how to download a PDF. This video references Steps 1-3 on my Search Strategies Handout.
Video with Quiz
Link to this Video with its Quiz.
Steps 1-4: More Databases
This video looks more closely at working with multiple databases. Specifically, I look at searching multiple databases at one time in EBSCO and ProQuest. I also look at MLA International Bibliography and JSTOR. This video references Steps 1-4 on my Search Strategies Handout.
Time Stamps
EBSCO: 0:45
MLA International Bibliography 5:37
ProQuest 7:03
JSTOR 9:53
Video with Quiz
Step 5: Searching CSULB's OneSearch
This video shows how to use OneSearch to explore ideas. OneSearch is very useful when you want to see what the CSULB library has to offer on a big topic. The video also includes information about BeachReach Interlibrary Loan and using OneSearch's pins to keep records of useful finds. This video references Step 5 on my Search Strategies Handout.
Video with Quiz
Step 6: Use Google Scholar effectively
This video explains how to use Google Scholar (scholar.google.com) in relation to Step 6 on my Search Strategies Handout.
Apologies for the two spelling errors in this one - "Steps 6" should be "Step 6," and later "stil" should be "still."
Video with Quiz
Step 7: Evaluation of Sources
This video walks through some of the suggestions on Step 7 of my Steps to Research. It focuses on looking up journals and their publishers using one of our databases, Ulrichs Web, as well as looking up authors in Google.
Video with Quiz
Step 8:
Setting Up an MS Word Doc in MLA Style & MLA Works Cited
This video looks at how to use MS Word to set up an MLA Style document for your assignment. MS Word can be accessed through MS Office 365 (Microsoft Office 365). This video references Step 8 on my Steps to Research Handout.
Take Note
The style of an MLA paper has 1-inch margins on all sides. To indent a paragraph, MLA recommends the using “Tab” key instead of pressing the space bar five times.
Time Stamps
Access/Download Office 365 via MyCSULB (for students/faculty of CSULB): 0:30 / 1:11
Set up a Word Doc for MLA Style: 1:47
Specifics of the first page of your essay: 3:07
Set Up Header: 5:08
Set Up Works Cited page: 6:40
which includes...
Copy and Paste from a citation button - EBSCO: 7:03
Merge Formatting from your paste into your font style: 8:00
Using a template to check your citations: 8:46
Copy and Paste from a citation button - OneSearch: 11:10
Add a link to your citation: 11:45
Organizing your citations alphabetically: 12:10
Video with Quiz
Using the MLA International Bibliography Database
This video takes a close look at the literature studies database MLA International Bibliography, which is our top database for studies about literature in English and in other languages. This database often requires Interlibrary Loan to access its materials, so please budget your time to request items.
Timestamps
Sign-In to the MLA International Bibliography: 0:40
Search for analysis about a particular work (novel, short story, poem, play) using its title: 1:50
Find the Document you want using the Get It @ CSULB button: 6:15
Look inside a catalog entry to increase your search terms & improve further searching: 7:44
Search for analysis about a particular author using the author's name: 9:44
What to do when you can't find results that discuss the work or the author you are interested in: 11:32
Using the asterisk (*) to help you search words with various endings (feminist/feminism): 12:29
How to email a PDF to yourself when the document is attached to the catalog entry: 14:17
Having patience with catalog entries: 15:11
Find a journal and look through journal results: 15:54
Final Take-Aways: 17:09
Using MLA International Bib & JSTOR with Interlibrary Loan
This video searches literature topics in the literature database MLA International Bibliography and the all-topics database JSTOR. It also shows several ways to use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to get access to items that are not immediately available.
The examples are for a Spanish author, Benito Pérez Galdós, but the procedure could be used to search any author or any of their works in any language.
Timestamps
Introduction to Video - with apology for poor pronunciation in Spanish: 0:00
Search MLA International Bibliography: 1:36
Use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to access a book - Get It @ CSULB Button: 5:34
Search JSTOR: 12:02
Use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to access a book chapter (book article) - searching the title: 15:05
Find Your Library Account to access ILL digital requests: 16:10
Use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to access a book - searching the title: 16:22
JSTOR's benefits: 19:41
Note: Complete eBooks cannot be requested through ILL. If you need accomodation, please contact ILL directly.
Find Journals in the Library
This short video shows how to search in the CSULB library to find out if we have online access to a journal, newspaper, or magazine. This video references Step 5 on my Search Strategies Handout.
Cabells Scholarly Analytics
This database can be used in conjunction with our other journal information and analytics databases: Journal Citations Reports (In-Cites), also known as JCR, and Ulrich's Web, which is discussed in my Steps to Research Handout: Step 7: Evaluate Sources. Cabells, JCR and Ulrich's require paid subscriptions to use - we have access to them through the CSULB Library A-Z Databases List.
For more help with Cabells, please see the following websites and YouTube videos:
Journal Citation Reports (JCR)
This video explains how to access and use Journal Citation Reports (JCR) at CSULB. JCR is a database that describes the statistics of how often items in a journal are cited in other journals, as well as details related to a journal's publications and performance. JCR can be used in conjunction with our other journal information and analytics databases: Cabells and Ulrich's Web.
Using EndNote Web Citation Manager
This video looks at the basics of using Clarivate's EndNote Online citation manager. Citation managers can be used to collect information about your research, as well as store your PDFs. This video references Step 8 on my Steps to Research Handout.
- Downloading and Uploading RIS FilesHere are some general notes about EndNote Online, including how to use an RIS file when you do not have an option to Export the citation from a database to EndNote.
I have additional videos about signing up for EndNote Web. They are still useful generally, but they need to be updated for Accessibility and to show the latest design of EndNote registration. I will update them as soon as I can.
Take Note - Other Citation Managers
There are quite a few citation management software programs available. Endnote online is free but requires Internet access. Zotero is another program that is free and low-cost for the full program. If you are interested in trying Zotero instead, please see Librarian Khue Duong's guides about how to use it.