This document provides guidance on using library databases to find academic sources and properly cite them. It outlines key databases like Gale PowerSearch that contain peer-reviewed journal articles, and how to limit searches to only academic sources. It defines important terms like "academic journal" and "peer-reviewed" and explains how to find the abstract and important details in articles. The document demonstrates how to cite sources within the text and create a works cited list using citation tools in databases or other bibliography generators.

1. LOVE YOUR LIBRARY
DATABASES / CITE YOUR
SOURCES
Ms. Doyle, Librarian

2. Objectives
• Know what databases your can use for free
• Know what a peer-reviewed journal article is and
how to find one
• Know how to find the important parts of an
academic journal article, including the abstract
• Review basic rules for citing sources

3. Why use a database?
School pays for
access
Edited/fact
checked
Academic
sources – peer
reviewed journal
articles
Often include
citations

4. How to Find the Databases
Go to your school’s website
Under Library, choose
Online Research Tools or Library Home Page

5. WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA

6. GROLIER ENCYCLOPEDIA

7. ENCYCLOPEDIAS – thumbs up or down
 Haveyou used World Book or Grolier
online?
 Would you find in-depth information?
 Would you find opinions about a topic?
 Would
you find newspaper and
magazine articles?

8. CULTUREGRAMS

9. OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS

10. OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS

11. SIRS RESEARCHER

12. SIRS RESEARCHER/KNOWLEDGE
SOURCE

13. DEFINE TERMS – volunteer to read?
 Academic journal – a publication
with peer-reviewed articles
about an academic discipline
(medicine, art, literature)
Academic or not?
Newsweek
People
Journal of the American Medical Association
Sports Illustrated
European History Quarterly

14. DEFINE TERMS – volunteer to read?
2. Peer-reviewed – experts in that
academic field evaluate articles
before they are published

15. GALE POWERSEARCH

16. GALE POWERSEARCH

17. GALE POWERSEARCH
Limit to
Academic
Journals
44 articles
found

18. GALE POWERSEARCH
Check “peer-reviewed” box to limit search – now only 40 articles

19. DEFINE TERMS
Abstract:
Short
summary of
the whole
article. Find
the abstract
at beginning.

20. FIND MOST IMPORTANT DETAILS
Use
headings
to find
important
points

21. FIND MORE INFORMATION
Use Works
Cited list to
track down
more
information

22. CITE YOUR SOURCES
In a
database,
use the
Citation
Tool

23. CITE YOUR SOURCES
Or use Citation Maker,
Easybib, etc. to make
your own.

24. Works Cited Page

25. HOW to Cite Your Sources
What’s wrong with this Works Cited list?

26. In-Text Citation
All 3 of the above refer back to the Works Cited list:

27. MORE CITATION QUESTIONS?
 Search for “Purdue OWL”:

28. OTHER QUESTIONS?
Ms. Doyle – doylem@loswego.k12.or.us