Homework Help

Research Tips and Strategies

Step One

Think about your topic. Ask yourself exactly what you need to find out. Is your topic too broad or too narrow? Clearly define your topic by identifying the main concepts or keywords.

Step Two

Check an encyclopedia to get an idea of what your topic is about.

Step Three

Search the Library catalogue using keywords for your topic to discover books, films, and CDs.

Step Four

Information databases allow you to find current information found in newspaper, magazine, and academic journal articles about your topic. You can search these databases individually. Use your keywords.

If you've never used an information database, find out more about them.

Step Five

Search the Internet using keywords for your topic. A good place to start is the Research section of this website to find recommended websites in the online subject guides that are based on the high school curriculum.

Step Six

Evaluate the information you have collected from the Internet. Is it coming from a reliable source? Is the information correct? Does it match the information you found in steps 2, 3 and 4?

Step Seven

Write your bibliography using a standard format such as MLA or APA.

Here are some great citation sources for you to use:

APA Style
APA citation style is generally required for social and behavioural research papers. American Psychological Association provides style guides and tips.

Citation Machine
Make citation machine generate standard MLA and APA citations.

Dr. Abel Scribe PhD
Dr. Abel Scribe's Guides to Research Style and Documentation are concise guides to formatting and documenting research papers in AMA, APA, ASA, CBE, Chicago, and MLA style. The APA Web Sheet PDF and MLA Web Sheet PDF explain how to format Internet sources.

Plagiarism.org
What is plagiarism? This site has tips for planning, writing, and citing sources properly in your papers to avoid plagiarizing.

Step Eight

At any step, you may ask a librarian for help. That's what we're here for!

telephone our Telefact info line at 519-661-4600
visit any of our 16 locations

Art

How do I find ... a suitable and reliable online source?

Try:

Where can I find --- websites, books and DVDs?

We recommend:

Art and Design

Antiques & Collectibles
Architecture
Fine Art
Graphic Arts
Graphic Design
Sculpture & Plastic Arts

Music Theatre and Dance

Classical Music
Dance
Popular Music
Theatre

Media Literacy

Your Sources

Questions to Consider:

Do I need a bibliography?
Do I need to incorporate quotations?
How reputable are my sources?
How many sources do I need?
What kind of sources do I need?

Checklist

Author of book, website or magazine article
Title of book, website or magazine article
Volume, issue numbers & pages of magazine
Publication date
Place of publication
Publisher
Date of access of online articles and websites
Title of webpage
Title of database
URL

Examples of Bibliographies

On Your Own inprint icon

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

APA Style
APA citation style is generally required for social and behavioural research papers. American Psychological Association provides style guides and tips.

Citation Machine
Make citation machine generate standard MLA and APA citations.

Dr. Abel Scribe PhD
Dr. Abel Scribe's Guides to Research Style and Documentation are concise guides to formatting and documenting research papers in AMA, APA, ASA, CBE, Chicago, and MLA style. The APA Web Sheet PDF and MLA Web Sheet PDF explain how to format Internet sources.

*available in print inprint icon

English

Where can I find ... websites, books and DVDs?

We recommend:

American Literature
British Literature
Canadian Literature
Poetry
Shakespeare
We Recommend: Short Classics

How do I choose ... a suitable book for my ISP?

Try:

Make sure your teacher approves your choice if it's for an assignment!

Where can I find ... Literary Criticism?

Try:

A SUBJECT search in the Library catalogue by your author's last name
Literature Resource Center
Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA)
Contemporary Literary Criticism
Shakespearean Criticism

fingertip For best results, search by author AND title. When structuring your search, put quotation marks around names and titles. e.g. "Mary Shelley" AND "Frankenstein".

What if I need ... book reviews?

Try:

Novelist Plus
Literature Resource Center
Contemporary Authors
Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA)
Ebsco

Add the phrase AND "book review" to your search. e.g. "Joseph Boyden" AND "Three Day Road" AND "book review"

Your Sources

Questions to Consider:

Do I need a bibliography?
Do I need to incorporate quotations?
How reputable are my sources?
How many sources do I need?
What kind of sources do I need?

Checklist

Author of book, website or magazine article
Title of book, website or magazine article
Volume, issue numbers & pages of magazine
Publication date
Place of publication
Publisher
Date of access of online articles and websites
Title of webpage
Title of database
URL

Examples of Bibliographies

On Your Own available in print icon
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

APA Style
APA citation style is generally required for social and behavioural research papers. American Psychological Association provides style guides and tips.

Citation Machine
Make citation machine generate standard MLA and APA citations.

Dr. Abel Scribe PhD
Dr. Abel Scribe's Guides to Research Style and Documentation are concise guides to formatting and documenting research papers in AMA, APA, ASA, CBE, Chicago, and MLA style. The APA Web Sheet PDF and MLA Web Sheet PDF explain how to format Internet sources.

*available online available online icon
*available in print available in print icon

Family Studies

Where can I find... websites, books and DVDs?

We recommend:

Food and Nutrition Sciences

Individuals and Families in a Diverse Society

Parenting and Child Development

Geography

How do I find ... a suitable and reliable online source?

Try:

• Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA)
• Canadian Reference Centre
• EBSCO Host
• eLibrary Canada
• OneFile
• Science in Context
• Statistics Canada

Where can I find ... websites, books and DVDs?

We recommend:

Alternative Energy Sources

Canadian and World Issues

Ecotourism
Ecozones
Physical Geography

Global Warming
Medical Tourism

General Geography Websites

When you're searching the web, remember to follow the Five W’s of Web Site Evaluation.

Your Sources

Questions to Consider:

Do I need a bibliography?
Do I need to incorporate quotations?
How reputable are my sources?
How many sources do I need?
What kind of sources do I need?

Checklist

Author of book, website or magazine article
Title of book, website or magazine article
Volume, issue numbers & pages of magazine
Publication date
Place of publication
Publisher
Date of access of online articles and websites
Title of webpage
Title of database
URL

Examples of Bibliographies

On Your Own inprint icon

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

Make sure your teacher approves your choice if it's for an assignment!

History

How do I find ... a suitable and reliable online source?
Try:

Where Can I Find... websites, books and DVDs?

American History

Canadian History

Local History

World History: ancient to 16th century (middle ages)

World History: 16th century (middle ages) to present

World War One

World War Two

When you're searching the web, remember to follow the Five W’s of Web Site Evaluation.

My Teacher says, “Use a Primary Source”. What are primary and secondary sources?

All about Primary Sources

You can find primary sources for history in the London Room located on the third floor of the Central Library. You can find old newspaper and magazine articles, diaries, maps, land ownership documents and more. Ask the staff for help.

Your Sources

Questions to Consider:

Do I need a bibliography?
Do I need to incorporate quotations?
How reputable are my sources?
How many sources do I need?
What kind of sources do I need?

Checklist
Author of book, website or magazine article
Title of book, website or magazine article
Volume, issue numbers & pages of magazine
Publication date
Place of publication
Publisher
Date of access of online articles and websites
Title of webpage
Title of database
URL

Examples of Bibliographies

On Your Own in print icon
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

APA Style
APA citation style is generally required for social and behavioural research papers. American Psychological Association provides style guides and tips.

Citation Machine
Make citation machine generate standard MLA and APA citations.

Dr. Abel Scribe PhD
Dr. Abel Scribe's Guides to Research Style and Documentation are concise guides to formatting and documenting research papers in AMA, APA, ASA, CBE, Chicago, and MLA style. The APA Web Sheet PDF and MLA Web Sheet PDF explain how to format Internet sources.

*available in print in print icon

Information Databases

What's an Information Database?

collection of magazine, journal and newspaper articles that you can search from a computer. Some databases even have entire encyclopedias and books!
most databases provide a combination of summaries and the entire article (full-text).

Why would I want to use these?
Have you ever needed information and someone else had already borrowed the book? Have you found yourself spending time searching on the Internet and trying to decide which information was accurate and current?

The articles in the information databases are:

accurate
objective
current
reliable
easy and quick to find
cover a variety of subjects such as medical information, car repair, genealogy, consumer help: it’s all there!

My teacher said not to use the Internet.
The Internet Databases use the web as a delivery system but they are not the "Internet" in the sense intended by your teacher. In addition to popular magazines, thousands of articles from academic research journals are in Information Databases. Teachers are very impressed when you use current research in your papers.

Can’t I just get these off the Internet?
No. Most of these articles you have to pay to read on the Internet. We have paid for you to have access to these databases through our website.

How do I “open” a database?
Access is free with a valid London Public Library card in good standing! Just click on the picture of the database you wish to explore, type in your library card number and click on “authenticate”. See the list of databases.

Can I print or email my results?
Absolutely! You can print, email, and save your results when copyright allows.

Can anyone help me with these?
Call 519-661-4600, use AskON (see the right side) or visit your local London Public Library and a staff member will be happy to assist you!

Math

Where can I find….math books at the library?

Algebra book cover image

Business & Finance Math

Calculus

Functions

Geometry book cover image

High School Math Essentials

Technical Math for Shop & Construction

Trigonometry

Math Books in Series

Math Busters
Covers basic math concepts such as Ratios & Percents, Geometry, Division & Multiplication, Decimals & Fractions, Algebra & Pre-Algebra.

Math Success
This series includes titles on Data, Graphing & Statistics, Algebra, Geometry & Trigonometry.

Where can I find….DVDs on math?

Standard Deviants DVDs

This amazing performing group will not only get you energized to do the math, but suddenly it will all become that much clearer - includes quizes and solutions. Check these out!

Algebra

Geometry

General High school Math

Where can I find....a good website?

We recommend:

Khan Academy
Find tutorial videos on every math topic from algebra to fractions to arithmetic. Also includes science topics too!

Math Forum
This website features math help for both high school (Grades 9 – 12) and middle school (Grades 6-8) on many topics including algebra, polynomials, exponents and algorithms, geometry (Euclidean!), probablility and trigonometry.

Purplemath
Algebra help! Wondering how to multiply polynomials? How to solve a linear equation? Figure out the slope of a straight line? This excellent website offers help on many different topics in algebra and trigonometry.

S.O.S. Mathematics
More than 2500 pages filled with short and easy-to-understand explanations. Subject areas include algebra, trigonometry, calculus, differential equations, complex variables, matrix algebra, and mathematical tables.