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This bibliography describes selected references sources in the Cardinal Hayes Library.

This pathfinder takes a sample topic through several basic steps in library research. Call numbers refer to the Cardinal Hayes Library. This is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to researching this particular topic, but rather a guide through the research process. A similar search strategy may be used for other topics. Some steps may be omitted or be done in a different order than is presented here.

Step 1: Define your topic.

IDENTIFY THE QUESTION OR PROBLEM

What impact did the building of the subway system have on the development of New York City in the early twentieth century? More specifically, what impact did the building of the subway system have on the development of the Bronx? Population? Housing? Employment? Other factors?

ADJUST THE SCOPE OF THE TOPIC

Is the topic too broad or too narrow?

If your topic is too narrow, you may not find very much research has been published on such a specific topic. However, if your topic is overly broad, you may have no particular focus to your research, and it will be hard to cover the topic with any depth.

DEVELOP A LIST OF SEARCH TERMS

Subway

Subways

Metropolitan Transit Authority

New York City History

New York NY History

Bronx New York

Bronx NY

Bronx Borough

Step 2: Gain a general overview.

CONSULT ENCYCLOPEDIAS OR OTHER REFERENCE BOOKS

For reference books on New York City, see the section in Hayes Library stacks with the call number beginning REF F 128.

For factual information at any point in the library research process, consult other reference books such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, bibliographies, almanacs, statistical sources, handbooks, or directories. For help in locating relevant resources, consult one of the librarians at the Reference Desk.

Step 3: Locate books.

CHECK THE LIBRARY'S ONLINE CATALOG

To search for books at Manhattan College Libraries, go to the library's Catalog and Databases page. Click on the link for Manhattan College Library Catalog. You can search by keyword, title, Library of Congress subject headings, and other terms. Online help is available in the system.

To search for books at the College of Mount Saint Vincent library or other area libraries in the WALDO library consortium, consult the online catalog and click on the "where" box to choose a library from the menu. A list of links to library catalogs in the NY metro area is also available.

For help with search terms, see:

FIND THE BOOKS ON THE SHELVES

Books acquired by the Manhattan College Libraries since 1980 are arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification. Older books are arranged according to the Dewey Decimal Classification. To locate a book with a particular call number, check the signs located throughout the library. (For more information, see Locating Books in the Cardinal Hayes Library.)

Step 4: Locate articles.

SEARCH PERIODICAL AND NEWSPAPER INDEXES

To find a reference to a magazine, newspaper, or journal article on a subject, use the print or electronic periodical indexes. These indexes generally provide access to articles by author, title, and subject. See, for example:

• ProQuest

  - Use the link from the library's Catalog and Databases.

  - Indexes general and scholarly periodicals, including many articles in full-text.

• EBSCO Host

  - Use the link from the library's Catalog and Databases.

  - Indexes popular and scholarly periodicals, providing full-text for many articles.

• Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe

  - Full-text access to newspapers and legal information.

CHECK THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ARTICLES

When viewing a citation of an articles that is not in full-text in a database, you can use the Library Periodical List to find out whether it is available in full-text in another database available at Manhattan College, or whether the library subscribes to a print or microform edition of that periodical.

The WALDO Union List lists the periodical holdings of Manhattan College and other local libraries (most of them located in Westchester).

If neither Manhattan College nor Mount Saint Vincent has a book or article you need, you may request a copy on interlibrary loan. Ask for the interlibrary loan forms at the reference desk. (For more information, look at Interlibrary Lending, Manhattan College Libraries.)

Step 5: Search the Internet.

To search the World Wide Web by subject, use a search engine such as:

• Google
• AltaVista
• Dogpile
• About.com

For more links to search engines, try the Library's Search the Internet page.

Step 6: Read and take notes.

EVALUATE YOUR SOURCES

Is the work sufficiently complete and current? Is it biased? Is it written in a scholarly or popular style (whichever you need)? Is the author a recognized authority on the subject? Does the author present evidence to support his or her conclusions?

To locate book reviews, you may use the computer indexes, such as Periodicals Abstracts, or consult the Book Review Digest or

REF Index Area

Book Review Index. Bimonthly.

USE A STYLE MANUAL

For methods of taking notes and writing footnotes and bibliographies, consult a standard style manual:

on reserve	Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1999.
on reserve	American Pscyhological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2001.

If you wish to begin your research process now, you can jump to the library's online catalog or the Online Database listing.

 

Comments? Questions?       Contact: stacy.pober@manhattan.edu
Last modified: 1 March 2002, S. Pober
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