Finding Books

To find books in FLITE, try either Subject or Keyword searches in the online catalog.

Book Locations

Main Stacks, Call Numbers A-H - Lower Level
Main Stacks, Call Numbers J-Z - Third Floor
Reference - First Floor
Government Documents - Second Floor

MelCat

MeLCat is a relatively new service that allows you to borrow materials from nearly 200 public and academic libraries across the state of Michigan. MeLCat books generally take from 3-5 working days to arrive. Access the service using the "Search MeLCat" at the top of the online card catalog page. You may only request items from MeLCat which are not in the Ferris online catalog.

The Internet

There are many webpages on the Internet which seem to provide quality information, but be aware that many provide less than valuable or credible information. Check out these websites for some real examples. Use this Internet Resources Evaluation Checklist as a tool for selecting reliable, authoritative sites.

Finding Journal Articles

To find journal articles on a particular topic, it's necessary to use one or more of the databases available on the FLITE Web site. These databases cumulatively provide indexing to thousands of journal titles. A few of the databases provide full-text (content of the articles is found directly within the database), but most only provide citations (description of where the article originally appeared in print).

General Databases

InfoTrac
A very large full-text database with over 50 million articles covering a myriad of subjects, General OneFile indexes both newspapers and journals. Coverage is from 1980 to present. A few journals, especially older dates, give only selective full-text.

Wilson Select Plus
This completely full-text database includes articles from a wide range of subject fields including science, humanities, education and business. Coverage is from 1994 to the present.

Guide to Searching Wilson Select Plus
Use this guide to learn tips and techniques for searching the Wilson Select Plus database.

More Specialized Databases

CQ Researcher
Published in print since 1926, CQ Researcher offers full-text, online access to reports dating back to 1991. Each report is an approximately 12,000 word, non-biased analysis of such contemporary issues as animal rights, campaign finance reform, global warming, and same sex marriage. Forty-four reports are published each year.

Issues and Controversies (Facts on File)
Often used as a resource for finding current topics for papers or speeches, Issues and Controversies offers a balanced, in-depth look at some of the hottest topics debated today. Factual analysis forms a basis for the objective information offered on both sides of an issue, with sidebars, statistics, tables, contact information and bibliographies providing additional assistance for student research on complex issues. In addition to the more than 600 topics discussed since 1995, recent new topics include National Security and the Media, Internet Gambling, and School Uniforms.

Issues and Controversies in American History (Facts on File)
This database aims to look at controversial issues of the past through the eyes of Americans living through them. Users are invited to stand in the middle of the debates of these historic issue and the arguments that surrounded them. Some of the issues covered include the Stamp Act, Indian Removal, the Civil War, Women’s Suffrage, the Vietnam War, President Clinton's Impeachment, and the Birth of the Public School System. Each issue is presented with explanations of our current understanding of these controversies, which may still be as contentious today.

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center
The Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center contains full-text book chapters and articles covering all sides of contemporary controversial issues (abortion, animal rights, capital punishment, drug abuse, gun control, terrorism, etc.). Material is taken from the Opposing Viewpoints book series and several dozen major magazines and newspapers.

For information on accessing databases from off-campus, click here.

Getting the Article

Once you've found citations relevant to the topic you're working with and you need to get a copy of the articles, you'll need to verify whether FLITE owns the particular journal in which each article was published. Many databases now have a link called "Find It", which, by clicking on it, will give you the range of options available for document retrieval (print, microform, online). If the full text of the article is available, you will be able to find the article by clicking on the link.

If the only message you see is "Request document via Interlibrary Loan", you will need to order the article. By clicking on the link in the window provided, you will be directed to a blank Interlibrary Loan form to be filled out. Sometimes the Find It button will provide a link to the Online Catalog. This indicates that the journal is found in FLITE's print collection. If you are off-campus and can't come to FLITE, simply order the article through Interlibrary Loan.

To look up whether FLITE owns a particular journal, use the Find a Periodical database to search for the journal title. Remember to use the journal title not the article title for your search.

Journal Locations

These are locations for journals FLITE has in physical formats:

Current Periodicals - Second Floor
Bound Periodicals (1996 - present) - Second Floor
Bound Periodicals (before 1996) - Lower Level
Microforms (microfilm and microfiche) - Second Floor

Remember that the staff at the Information Desk on the Second Floor can help locate journals and use the microfilm or microfiche reader printers.

If FLITE does not own the article in any format, use InterLibrary Loan.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another's work or ideas as your own. Plagiarism is often unintentional, but it occurs whenever you use someone else's ideas or words without giving them credit. It can be obvious - purchasing a term paper or turning in a project done by someone else. It can be putting other's ideas into your own words. A simple rule: do not copy text from Web pages or other sources without identifying the origional author. In this description, I am using ideas presented in the FLITE Online Tutorial called PILOT.
The tutorial provides these four tips to avoid Plagiarism:

• Take clear, accurate notes about where you found specific ideas
• Write down the complete citation information for each item you use
• Use quotation marks when directly stating another person's words
• Always credit original authors for their information and ideas

Citing Sources

Whenever you are quoting or using information from a source, you must credit or cite that source. Failure to do so is plagiarism which can lead to expulsion from the University. The following links provide information on how to use MLA.

Here is a printable version of our MLA Style Guide. (This requires Adobe Acrobat.)
MLA Citation Style Guide

Here are more examples of how to cite different types of sources using the MLA format.
MLA List of References

Copies of the full-length APA manual (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th ed.) and MLA Handbook (MLA handbook for writers of research papers) are found in the Ready Reference section on Floor 1 of the library near the South Service Reference Desk.

Help

In addition, librarians are available at the South Service Desk to help you find information to complete your course assignments and reports. If you would prefer to contact Library Instruction Coordinator Kristy Motz personally, please email.

Don't forget, you are welcome to come to the South Service Desk and ask for help at any time.

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Last Update: November 6, 2006