Linfield College Libraries
REL 120 Old Testament
Summer 2006
The information on this page combined with Linfield Library Services for ADP/DCE Students and the Linfield Libraries Research Tips should give you the background you need to do the library research necessary to write an academic research paper. If you have questions about any of the material on these pages or on the library research process contact Carol McCulley, Reference and Distance Learning Librarian (cmccull@linfield.edu; 1-800-452-4176 ext. 2595 or 503-883-2595).
Background:
Research is a process. It takes time. You may change your thesis along the way.
Words matter. Keep a list of search words that work or might work and places you've looked.
Where do I start? Develop a research stragegy. What do you want to know? What do you already know? What kind of information do you need? What keywords do you have to search?
How do I get my sources: in Linfield Libraries, in Summit or through Interlibrary Loan?
Evaluate Your Sources:
- Print sources are not always scholarly enough for inclusion in an academic research paper. EBSCOhost, for example, indexes scholarly and popular journals so you need to have criteria to use to evaluate these journals.
- Web sites must be critically evaluated before using their information in your research paper.
Cite Your Sources and Avoid Plagiarism: some strategies
Reference Sources: a source of background information, words, authors, and references. Print reference sources at Nicholson Library (call #s beginning with REF), which are in WildCat, may not be checked out, but they may be available to use in other Orbis Cascade Alliance libraries or at other libraries in your neighborhood. We can also copy chapters or sections on specific areas that you need; a particular author, for example. E-mail me with the title of the reference book and I can look to see of there is something on your topic and send it to you.
Linfield Libraries Homepage http://www.linfield.edu/library
Books: search by keyword, subject, title or author
- Wildcat (Linfield's catalog)
- Summit (Orbis Cascade Alliance catalog) You need to have your barcode in Linfield's circulation system to order a book.
- Google Book Search- some full text books. Good way to see parts of books you might want to order through WildCat or Summit.
Articles:
- General databases
- Research Databases- subject specific
Get Items: How to get items not full text online or not at Jereld R. Nicholson Library
Searching The Internet:
- Use sites that have already been evaluated.
- Links suggested for your class
- American Society of Oriental Research- A source for relevant and important materials and also a "clearing house" for other important websites related to study of the Hebrew Bible and the field of archeology.
- American Journal of Archeology- This journal offers commentary on many archeological strata, but you may find some items on the Hebrew Bible. It is indexed in EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier.
- Archaeological Institute of America- This might be a site where you can trace specific studies on specific sites and topics relative to your own research and study of the Hebrew Bible.
- Biblical Archeology Society- This is a pretty solid and credible site. I like their approach.
- Foundation for Biblical Archeology- Projects, articles and resources
- The Orion Center:- This is a very comprehensive site at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It was set up in 1995 to coordinate research on the Dead Sea Scrolls from all over the world. It contains an extensive bibliography as well as many outside links to other Dead Sea Scrolls resources.
- Web Sites by Subject on the Linfield Libraries Homepage
- Links from relevant, credible web sites you have found.
- Know your search engine: use this search tool chart to help you refine your search.
- Try google.com or Google Scholar
- Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate! Anybody can publish anything on the web. Check these links.
Need help?
6/06