Citations
How can the Libraries help me learn how to cite in APA?
TAMU Libraries has citation style help guides and can guide you to useful online citation help sites like Purdue Owl. We can also look over your citations for accuracy.
I need 5 peer reviewed sources for a paper about the Vietnam War. Where do I go for help?
Librarians can explain the peer review process and how to search a database and limit to peer reviewed source types.
What is it called when you are thinking of ideas for topics?
Brainstorming; you can use tools like clustering maps to help you with topic ideas, and some databases now with AI allow topic brainstorming.
What is the process called where the student finds sources and discusses them together in a narrative that highlights themes, trends, and gaps in the research?
Literature review.
How do I track how many times an article has been cited?
We have databases like Google Scholar, Web of Science, etc. that track article citations.
How do I manage dozens of citations for a research paper?
The Libraries offer access to citation managers: (RefWorks, EndNote, Zotero, etc.) - these are software that can help organize your citations.
I need to research the use of resins in chemical manufacturing: what library resources do I need?
Searching for scholarly articles in chemistry databases and industry standards about resins is a good start.
How do I know what words to use when searching a database?
Databases have subject terms and other indexed terms. Librarians can help you find the best terms to use when searching for sources on your research topic.
What is the process called when needing to synthesize information from thousands of sources on a specific research question?
Systematic review
How do I find out a journal ranking? Its ranking in its discipline area?
Databases like Journal Citation Reports will track the ranking of a journal in a scholarly discipline.
How do I cite an article directly from a database?
Each database usually has a cite feature, which is a type of citation generator. You still need to double check with your style manual even when using a citation generator.
I need to locate primary sources on women writers in 19th century England.
Librarians can help you determine what is a primary source and how to search databases/archives with more primary source content - in this case literature primary source databases would be a good place to start.
How do I narrow the scope of my topic?
Write a focused thesis and think of ways to limit your topic by time period, region, subtopic etc. Databases can show narrower terms and the Library of Congress publishes subject heading files that can help you find more focused terms for your topic area.
What are the types of literature I need to consult in a systematic review?
As many types as may be applicable: research studies, field studies, peer reviewed articles, conference proceedings, grey literature, clinical registries, standards, etc.
How do I track the most cited authors in a discipline area?
We have useful author metrics guides:
https://tamu.libguides.com/c.php?g=1366259&p=10093490 - that list some of the best databases to use to track author citations.