Basic Research Skills & Concepts

The CSN Library is happy to present the CSN Library Search Plugin for Google Chrome.This free extension allows users to quickly and easily search for terms they come across while conducting research.To use it, simply highlight the term you want to search for, right click, hover over CSN Library Search Plugin and choose to search in either the CSN Library, Google Scholar or WorldCat.The extension will open the search results in a new tab thus

This online, 8-week course will be offered October 24 - December 18 and is taught by a CSN Librarian. The research skills taught in this course will help you succeed throughout your academic journey at CSN and wherever you choose to go after. You will learn how to find, evaluate, and use information in both your research and everyday life. Register through myCSN today!For more information, feel free to reach out to Emily Pattni, CSN

You can print!You can print from our computers in the library for only 5 cents per black-and-white page and 40 cents per color page. All you have to do is click on the PrintWise application on your computer’s desktop and select “Jobs Pending Release.” From here, you will be able to release any print jobs that you have sent to the printer! CSN students are also automatically given $10 of printing credit on their PrintWise

CSN Libraries are here to support you as you reach the end of the semester! You know you can always speak with a librarian in person, but did you know that you can connect with one virtually too? The library offers live chat with a librarian, Monday-Thursday: 8am to 10 pm; Friday: 8am to 4pm; Saturday: 9am to 5pm; and Sunday: 2 pm to 11pm. Ask a question and a real live CSN librarian will

Are you one of the many Americans who are concerned about privacy on the Internet? Students and faculty are online all the time during the pandemic--is your information secure? How about online shopping--how do companies know the sites you’ve visited? If you fill in a form with private information--who has access to it? What about apps?These questions and more are why the National Cyber Security Alliance (NSCA) presents Data Privacy Day every year in January.

Is there a question about the library that you’ve been wanting to ask, but you’re sure that the question is being asked regularly? The CSN Library website has an FAQ page to help you find the answers that you’re looking for.Right now the librarians are answering many questions about extended due dates because of the Stay at Home 2.0 order, how to return materials, if the libraries are currently open, and questions about research assignments.

It's that time in the semester when research papers are due and you may realize that you don't know how to do an in-text citation or create a Works Cited or References page. Don't worry--the library has you covered! There are several ways to find the help you need while you're working remotely.Here's how you can help yourself:From the library homepage click on the Research Help tab and go to How to Cite. You can

If you are taking a COM 101 class, chances are you have an informative and a persuasive speech assignment to start working on soon. Not to worry--we created a research guide just for you!Our COM 101-Speech Resources guide will help you through the entire research process--from choosing and narrowing down a topic, to finding and citing credible sources for each speech. There are tips and tutorials and lots of helpful advice for finding the best

As faculty prepare for the beginning of the semester, CSN Libraries offer good news to those teaching research assignments: our online citation guides are updated and ready for you and your students!The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition (or APA 7th) officially came out at the end of 2019, which now feels like a lifetime ago. But CSN Libraries has spent that time working with the college writing center to create an

One of the first steps in starting a research paper is to choose a topic. The Newsbank database has a list of current (this week) topics for you to choose from. To access Newsbank, click the red Browse Databases button found on the library’s home page. Scroll down the list to Las Vegas/Nevada News and click on the link. Log in with your Canvas login and password. In the banner at the top of the

Whether you’re working on an argumentative research paper or a persuasive speech, CSN Libraries have three databases that will provide credible information on both sides of your issue:CQ Researcher provides in-depth reports on current and controversial issues with overviews, background information, pro/con essays and more.Issues and Controversies on File offers objective, detailed information on hotly debated issues with clear explanations of what supporters and opponents might argue.Opposing Viewpoints in Context contains essays that argue for

If there's a research assignment on your class syllabus and the thought of choosing a topic seems overwhelming, our Credo Reference database can help! With millions of articles from trusted reference books, Credo has always been a credible source of background information. Recent enhancements have also made it a great resource for brainstorming your topic by featuring "Mind Maps" on every search results page.What is a Mind Map you ask? When you search Credo for

Locating academic resources for a college paper, speech, or assignment can sometimes be overwhelming - especially when you have to sort through books, journal/newspaper articles, and database results to find the most appropriate source for the information you are trying to convey. You may have noticed, as you search through CSN Libraries OneSearch, a number of video or film items appearing in your results and wonder why the library has such a large collection of

Looking for a famous painting, photograph, or object to steal the show for your next report, essay, or speech? Look no further than our easy-to-use (and easy to cite) image database, Artstor. From portraits of Picasso to schematics of the Sistine Chapel, Artstor provides access to a variety of art collections to help you find the perfect image to capture your audience’s attention and add a visual element to your work to make it look

You may have noticed that instructors, professors, and librarians spend a lot of time and effort talking about the importance of citation and referencing so that you can avoid plagiarism, but what you may not know is that it is equally important to make sure you understand how to fairly use images, film, and other visual content to avoid breaking copyright law.We’ve all heard the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and it’s

You may have seen online images filled with facts that analyze anything from water conservation to Disney princesses. Infographics are exactly what they sound like: a combination of information and graphics. They’re a way to share data more visually, and typically look like one long page of charts, icons, pictures, and text. If your professor allows for a creative research assignment, you might consider making your own!Step 1: Organize Your ResearchBefore you can put them

When you are preparing a paper, speech or presentation for a college assignment or simply investigating a topic, idea, or issue out of pure curiosity – the first step is to start filling-in your knowledge gaps with the basic facts. In a sea of online information, one of the best ways to get those facts is to use the authoritative information found in the more than 900 online reference resources of Credo Reference. Credo can

The semester is almost over and the due date of your research assignment is looming. Don't panic! A CSN librarian can help you narrow your topic, find credible sources, and give you guidance on citation format. Simply click on the orange "Questions? Ask Us!" link on our Library website to learn how to connect with a librarian by chat, email, phone, or in person.

One of the most difficult tasks you encounter when you come to college is reading scholarly materials. Scholarly materials may include peer-reviewed articles, scientific articles, and articles from academic journals. You can find them using our library databases, which have access to thousands of them online. Scholarly materials tend to have a lot of high-level language, and have some complicated parts that you may not necessarily understand.Our tutorial can help you learn about the parts

Barack Obama’s screen-printed image, emblazoned with the word “Hope,” is an iconic symbol of the 2008 presidential campaign. Shepard Fairey, the artist who created it, used a Google Image search to find the underlying photo. Its photographer, Mannie Garcia, recognized her work in the Hope poster and requested credit and compensation. Fairey refused. Four years later, he faced a penalty of two years of probation, 300 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine (“Artist

Most college instructors will want you to use authoritative primary resources to complete course assignments, to examine the complexities of a paper topic using the best scholarship available, or to formulate a reliable argument using research-based analysis where findings support the conclusions. Where can you find that kind of quality information? You will find all that and more in peer-reviewed articles.In general, here is how peer review works: All academic, professional and even occupational areas

You should think of a library database as an organized electronic catalog and storage container for published articles mostly from research journals, newspapers, and magazines.Many databases give you access to other items like book chapters, e-books, government and business records and reports, photographic images and works of art, reference works, and audio files and films.CSN Libraries currently subscribes to 142 different databases. They cover most academic, professional, and technical subject areas. Database information is searchable

Information is constantly streaming across our smartphones and computers through social media, websites, and databases. If you are like most college students, then you receive lots of messages, texts, and links every day. You probably also consult databases through the CSN Libraries website from time to time as part of your coursework.It's important to know how to retrieve reliable information. It's also important to know how dependable that information really is -- and not just

After the first presidential debate between candidates Clinton and Trump, it appears that fact-checking will be a popular topic of this year’s election coverage. According to CSN Journalism Instructor Jennifer Mitchell, “Facts are imperative to thoughts and argumentation. My students who are training to be journalists must learn the importance of facts and how to verify information in order to ensure they are writing factual statements in their articles. I hold them to a high

Are you working on an argumentative research paper or persuasive speech? CSN Library Services has three databases just right for you!Opposing Viewpoints in Context contains essays that argue for or against a variety of contemporary social issues. You can conveniently link to articles on your topic from magazines, journals, newspapers and other sources.Issues and Controversies on File offers objective, detailed information on hotly debated issues with clear explanations of what both supporters and opponents might

Do you know that you can meet one on one with a librarian any time that you come into campus? You can! When you meet with a librarian, he or she will lead you through the research process to find these resources that will make your paper shine! Drop by the library on any campus and your friendly librarians will discuss your research topic with you and show you the best places to find the