The document provides an agenda for a library research lesson which includes breaking topics into keywords, using the library catalog and databases to search for information, and where to get help. It then gives examples and tips for how to break topics into concepts to search, how to use the library catalog and databases effectively, and where to go for additional research assistance.

1. ELI 084S:
Library Research
Jennifer Rosenstein, First Year Outreach
Services Librarian

2. Agenda for today’s lesson
• Breaking down your topic into
searchable keywords
• Using the library catalog
• Using online databases
• Where to get help

3. How to get started?
• Before you can begin researching you need to break
down your topic into key words
• Example:
– globalization's influence on the
economy of a developing country
(China)
Concept A Concept B Concept C
Globalization Economy China

4. A more complex example
Is globalization a catalyst that facilitates wide-spread
terrorism and extremism, which eventually result in
many tragedies, such as the September 11th attack?
Try it yourself:
Fill out the first row
of your chart

5. Next: brainstorm
synonyms for your key
words
Concept A Concept B Concept C
Globalization Terrorism Attacks
Are there other ways of
saying these ideas?

6. Searching the library
catalog
From the library home page: www.pace.edu/library
Use the Search Plus box

7. Tips for using Search Plus (Encore) to
search the catalog
• Use the tags on the right to narrow your search
• When you find a book that looks helpful, look at the Subjects for
similar books
• If you need books that are immediately available to you, click on
“Birnbaum Stacks” on the left
– Note E-book options as well
– Use Request It button to have books sent to NYC from other Pace campuses
• While you’re browsing, you can click on the “Add to List” link to keep
track of items you were interested in
– Use the “My List” button at the top right to access your list. You can e-mail the
list to yourself.
• Use the Connect NY button to find resources from other universities
• Note: Encore will also give you results from a few databases, but it’s
hard to narrow them down using this interface

9. Recommended databases
Access all databases through the library home page:
www.pace.edu/library
Click on the Databases: Find an Article link
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context
– For controversial topics, eg. homeschooling
• Academic Search Premier
– General research
• ABI-Inform
– Business topics
• For specific companies or markets:
– Lexis-Nexis
– Business & Company Resource Center
– Global Market Information Database

10. Tips for database
searching
• Combine terms across columns with AND
• Combine synonyms with OR
and place multi-word phrases in quotation
marks. Put OR terms in parentheses ()

11. Advanced Google searching
Google scholar: scholar.google.com
Configure your settings to show articles
available from Pace
• Video tutorial:
http://youtu.be/MRFYjeNrFPM
Use the site: limiter
Note: Google automatically puts the AND
between search terms

12. Use Google’s
search tools to
narrow your
search.
Click show
search tools for
even more
options.

13. • To get more help:
• The library home page: pace.edu/library
• Use the Ask-a-Librarian link
• Under “Library Services,” use the Video tutorials,
How do I?, and Research Guides links
look at the Research Guides for Business
and Marketing
• E-mail Jennifer! jrosenstein@pace.edu
• Stop by or call the reference desk (the desk under the big
Information sign in the middle of the library)
• (212) 346-1331