Selected Databases
Use databases to track down articles in journals.
Articles usually have a specific focus, are relatively short, and
are relatively current. Some databases, particularly the general
ones, include the full text of the article. You can find the databases
by going to the library's
home page and selecting "Electronic Resources." Type
in the name of the database that you need from the "Quick
Search" menu.
Selected General Databases
Academic
Search Premier
Expanded Academic ASAP
These are both general-purpose databases, and you can be sure of finding articles on any topic.
Ingenta
This is a good source of scholarly articles. If Northwestern doesn't subscribe to a journal, you can purchase it directly. (ALWAYS check NUcat first!)
LexisNexis
Academic
This is an excellent source of current news and events, though not recommended for in-depth criticism or for highly specialized research.
Selected Specialized Databases
Google Scholar
Historical Abstracts
Index Islamicus
International Political Science Abstracts
PAIS International
Social Sciences Abstracts
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
These are examples of databases that researchers in different fields rely on to stay current or for their own research.
Online Catalog
Use NUcat (the
online catalog) to identify books that the library has, as well
as journal titles, microfilm, videos, and other catalogued
material. Books are excellent sources of overviews and substantial
material on a particular topic, but do not necessarily reflect
the most current events. NUcat will also tell you whether material
is in the main library or in another Northwestern University library.
Background Information
Sources for background information include
handbooks and guides as well as specialized encyclopedias that
reference librarians can show you. In addition, other types of
reference resources include biographies, dictionaries, atlases
and much, much more. Always remember that every discipline has
its share of specialized resources. Ask us!
Selected Print Resources
Annual Review of Political Science. Vol. 1 (1998)-. Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews Inc., 1998.
MAIN Reference 320.05 A615
Online version
CQ Global Researcher
Encyclopedia of Modern Ethnic Conflicts. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2003.
MAIN Reference 305.8003 E559
The Middle East, a Political Dictionary. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Abc-Clio, 1992.
MAIN Reference 956.00321 Z81m 1992
A Political Chronology of the Middle East. London: Europa, 2001.
MAIN Reference 956 P7687
Regional Guide to International Conflict and Management from 1945 to 2003. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2004.
MAIN Reference 909.825 B512i 2004
Putting it all together
Collect your material in one place
online using EndNote
When you're doing your research, for either your presentation or your final
paper, you normally collect information — citations, page references, etc. — that
you will later put into a bibliography. (A bibliography shows what sources
you've used and what you've based your arguments on.) The problem often is
that this information gets written on scraps of paper or in a notebook; but
at any rate, you usually end up retyping it at least once when you create your
bibliography. EndNote allows you to enter the data ONCE — and then format
it for output MANY TIMES. And you can conveniently collect all of your material
in the same place, sorting it by class or by whatever arrangement you need.
After you download EndNote and install it on your computer, you will be able to use it to access licensed databases no matter where you are. Additional information is available from the Reference Department's website, and we will also offer several workshops this fall.
Get help at any point in time
Reference librarians are here for you: Contact them by email, IM, or chat. You can also schedule a research consultation for a personalized session.
Cite your material
in a standard format
Denise M Shorey
Head, Reference Department
Email: d-shorey@northwestern.edu
Office phone: 847.491.2174
Reference desk phone: 847.491.7656 |
