SES Research Guide

The purpose of this guide is to introduce you to sources in Cornette Library and on the World Wide Web useful for doing research on education topics. The list of sources here is not comprehensive but will lead you into your research. As you use these, explore others you find along the way. Ask at the Reference, Periodicals, and Government Documents Desks if you need assistance.

Reference Sources

Gathering background information on a topic is often important before starting your research. Cornette Library's Reference collection is a good place to do this. You'll find dictionaries, encyclopedias, statistics, almanacs, handbooks, directories, and other basic information sources here. These provide brief factual information. Reference books can not be checked out, but you may make photocopies. Reference is located on the first floor of Cornette Library.

Subject Areas

Guides to Research

Introduction to Reference Sources in the Health Sciences
R 118.6 .I58 1994 Ref.

Subject Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Subject encyclopedias provide in-depth, scholarly articles, which focus on a specific subject or discipline. The articles often refer to the main sources for further research on the subject and include bibliographies. Dictionaries provide brief definitions for terms in specific subject areas. Below are some examples of subject encyclopedias. Search Cornette Library's online catalog by subject or country and limit your search to the Reference Dept. to find the most appropriate encyclopedia in you subject area.

Dictionary of the Sport and Exercise Sciences
GV 558 .D53 1991 Ref.
Encyclopedia of Sports Science
GV 558 .E53 1997 Ref.
Sports Rules Encyclopedia
GV 731 .S75 1990 Ref.
Encyclopedia of Weight-Training
GV 546 .W36 1991 Ref.
Encyclopedia of Psychology
BF 31 .E52 2000 Ref.
Encyclopedia of Human Biology
QP 11. E53 1991 Ref.
CRC Desk Reference for Nutrition
QP 141 .B523 1998 Ref.

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Books

Cornette Library's online catalog
Includes books, government documents, videos, journals, etc. available throughout the Library. Suggested searches include:
  • a keyword search for your subject, such as sport nutrition or strength training
  • the general LC subject heading nutrition or weight training
  • the LC subject heading for a specific time and place such as weight training health aspects united states

To determine the most appropriate subject headings for your search, refer to the red Library of Congress Subject Headings near the Reference computers in the Library or search the online Library of Congress Authorities Catalog.

WorldCat
An online catalog for libraries around the world. You'll find books in Cornette Library's collection listed along with many more in other libraries. Search by keyword or browse by subject heading. You may request those books which are not available in the Cornette Library through Interlibrary Loan. Be sure to submit your requests at least two weeks before you will need them.

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Journal & Magazine Articles

Cornette Library provides access to a number of online resources for finding journal articles. Some provide the full text of articles, while others may give only the citation and in some cases an abstract or short summary of the article. Some of these resources are general in nature, covering many subject areas. Others focus on particular subject areas or disciplines. When you find articles, evaluate them to make sure you are getting valid information. If you need assistance with searching the resources listed below, ask at the Reference Desk (first floor) or the Periodicals Desk (second floor). You may also call the Reference Desk at 651-2215 during the hours Cornette Library is open or use our Ask a Librarian service.

All of our online resources are available from off-campus as well as in the library. You will be asked to login: use your Buff Advisor username (for example, js123456) and your Buff Advisor password (for example, buffaloes).

While most of our online resources include the full-text of the journal articles they index, some only include citations. To find the full-text of an article when you only have the citation, click the SFX logoSee if we have full text link to see if the full text is available on another of our online resources. Clicking on this link will also allow you to check the online catalog for print holdings or to request the material via interlibrary loan if we do not have it. You may also browse our list of online journals and search Cornette Library's online catalog by journal title to determine if the issue you need is available in the Library's Periodicals collection. Journals are shelved alphabetically by title in the bound, microfilm, microfiche, or current periodicals areas on the Library's second floor. If the Library does not have the journal issue you need, you can request the article through Interlibrary Loan.

Sports & Exercise Science Resources

SportDiscus
Information in the sports and exercise sciences.
Basis BIOSIS
Information in the life sciences.
CINAHL
Information in nursing and the allied health sciences.
ERIC
Information in education.
Health and Wellness Resource Center
Information in medicine and related fields - some directed to the consumer.
Medline
Information in medical fields. Also available from the National Library of Medicine as PubMed.
PsycINFO
Information on psychology, psychiatry, and sociology
ScienceDirect
Information in the life sciences.
Science Citation Index
Premier science citation database. Uses SFX to link to full-text in other databases.

General Resources: Full Text

Print Indexes/Abstracts

The print indexes and abstracts are located in the Indexes/Abstracts area in Reference.

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Government Documents

Cornette Library collects United States federal and Texas state documents on many topics. Most United States government documents published since 1994 are listed in the Cornette Library's online catalog. To find older documents, you will need to use the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications. We also have British Parliamentary Papers from 1731-1978/79 in microform.

Government Information in Cornette Library

Finding Government Documents
Overview of how to find government documents in the Cornette Library.
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
Indexes all United States government documents made available through the Government Printing Office. Includes all types of U.S. government documents, including Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and records; judiciary materials; and documents issued by executive departments (Defense, State, Labor, Office of the President, etc.). Dates available include:
LexisNexis Statistical
Indexing and links to statistical information from international agency, federal, state, and local governmental statistical publications. Includes information from selected business and professional publications containing statistics. Some full-text.
U.S. Government Web Sites
Cornette Library's guide to finding U.S. government web sites by subject, agency, and title.
Cornette Library's online catalog
Locates U.S. and Texas state documents in the Library

Government Information on the Web

Government Information
Cornette Library's Web page for access to federal and Texas government information on the Web.
National Institutes of Health
Provides links to various research institutes including the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
MedlinePlus
Health information from the National Library of Medicine.
Finding Education Statistics
Links to education statistics on the Web.
U.S. Department of Education
Searchable site for information on education.

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World Wide Web

The Web can be a useful source for finding primary sources and scholarly information as many libraries, archives, museums, and individual researchers have put digitized (scanned) images on their Web sites. You will also find secondary sources that can lead you to additional primary sources.

Web Guides

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Citing Your Sources

Why must I cite the sources I use for research projects?

APA Style

A copy of the 5th and 6th editions of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is kept at the Reference Desk. Additional assistance with citing electronic publications is available from the APA online site, which is accessible from Cornette Library's Citation Basics page.

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Your Comments

There's always room for improvement!

If you have suggestions for improvements or would like to comment on something you found especially useful about this course guide, please email Linda Chenoweth. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.

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