CRIM 385 - Sumeracki
Getting Started With Your Research
- Look over your assignment. Highlight the main point and key words you need for your search strategy.
- Gather basic information about your topic. Reference materials (print and electronic) and books in the general collections (also print and electronic) will help you get started.
- Form your thesis statement: what are you trying to research or describe?
- Break your thesis statement into concepts - what two or three words describe the major points of your project?
- Think about alternate forms and synonyms of the words used.
- Develop "concept blocks"- each concept block made of similar words that describe a topic.
- Search the online reference materials and databases using keywords from your concept blocks.
- Try this power point to give you some further direction: Getting Started With Research
Where to find material at FLITE:
Books in Electronic and Print Format
Books are the best way to gather background, gain a general understanding of your topic, and then explore subjects in-depth.
To find books in FLITE, try either Subject or Keyword searches in the Library Catalog. Remember that circulating FLITE books (in print) will be mailed to you free of charge. Your only cost is the return postage via UPS. See our section on Document Delivery/InterLibrary Loan.
Requests can be made electronically through the InterLibrary Loan (ILL) Request form. You'll need to register as a First Time User when sending your first InterLibrary Loan request.
Electronic Reference Materials (Reference Books in digital format) can be reached at the Electronic Reference Resources link on the Databases page. Select the Criminal Justice subject heading.
Electronic books (Ebooks) can be found by using the Catalog tab and selecting "Advanced Search: Catalog". Start with a Keyword Search. Use the Material Type drop down menu on the page to select "EBOOKS".
You may also search for them from a results page by selecting the "LIMIT THIS SEARCH" tab on the top of the page.
Limit the search again to EBOOKS.
Authoritative Internet resources may also be accessed through our Online Catalog. Search for them using either the Keyword search or the Limit button as described above and restrict your search to "ELECTRONIC" resources.
Once you reach the catalog record, click on either the Internet address provided or the words "Connect to online version" to reach the web site.
Using Electronic Books from FLITE - Ebrary (the largest number of titles in the eBooks collection at FLITE)
- Turn off your pop-up blocker.
- Allow automatic download of the plugin that will become the book "reader".
- Set up a user name and password so you can save searches and take notes.
- Skim the forward, introduction, and table of contents to gain general sense of topic.
- Save your search by either printing your material (printing limits apply), emailing the citation to yourself, or saving the citation to a bibliographic database like RefWorks or Citation Machine.
Using Electronic Books from FLITE - NetLibrary (a smaller collection of Ebooks at FLITE)
- Call the Oval Information Desk (231-591-3602) to set up a NetLibrary account if you wish to read a NetLibrary resource.
- Or, set up an account at your local public library.
Research Guide: Criminal Justice
A web-based Subject Reference Guide for Criminal Justice is available to help you research. You may be able to find these resources at your local library if you are off-campus.
Finding Journal Articles
Journal articles are used to give specific information about specific points in your paper. Use information from them to find the most current data and use examples from them to make your paper stronger and more relevant. To find journal articles on a particular topic, use one or more of the Databases available on the FLITE Web site. These databases cumulatively provide indexing to thousands of journal titles. Many databases provide full-text (content of the articles is found directly within the database), but some provide only citations (descriptions of where the article originally appeared in print) or abstracts (citations with a summary attached.)
General Databases
Academic OneFile
A very large full-text database with millions of articles covering a multitude of subjects, Academic OneFile indexes journals, magazines, and newspapers. A variety of Criminal Justice journals are included in Academic OneFile, in addition to other journals that touch on issues affecting your field. Use this database as you explore different topics and begin to narrow your focus. A general database like this one is also useful if you are unfamiliar with database searching, as you are apt to receive a broader selection of material as you begin to research. You can refine your searches by using more selective databases once you've focused your topic.
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. Again, use this general database as you begin work with your topic
Criminal Justice Databases
Criminal Justice Periodicals Index
This database provides selective full-text coverage to journals in the fields of law enforcement, corrections administration, social work, drug rehabilitation, criminal and family law, industrial security, and other criminal justice fields. Citations extend back to 1981.
Sage Criminology Full-Text and Criminal Justice Abstracts
Sage Criminology shares a search interface with Criminal Justice Abstracts, but allows you to retrieve all articles in full-text. This database has very deep backfiles, so you research your topic over a longer time span, providing you with a broader scope.
With citations dating back to 1968, Criminal Justice Abstracts is prepared in cooperation with the Criminal Justice Collection of Rutgers University Library. Indexing journal articles, books, and government reports, Criminal Justice Abstracts covers such topics as crime trends, crime prevention and deterrence, juvenile delinquency, juvenile justice, police courts, and sentencing.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
National Criminal Justice Reference Service is freely available and provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. It will still be available to you once you leave Ferris. More than 7,000 full-text reports are available through the "A-Z Publication/Products" tab. You can also reach abstracts of other federal, state, and local government reports, books, journal articles, and unpublished research using the "Library/Abstracts" tab.
Off Campus Access
FLITE Distance Education Library Services
One of our missions at FLITE is to offer all off-campus students access to the high-quality research materials available through the library. FLITE's subscription databases are available to all current Ferris students, faculty, and staff, including off-campus students. Our Distance Education web site should help you with any questions you may have about reaching FLITE from wherever you are. Be sure to study it carefully and return to it often. If you experience problems logging on, please call (231) 591-2669 or (800) 4-FERRIS (ext. 2669).
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 gives you the range of options available to find the material. If the full text of the article is available, you will be able to find the article by clicking on the link.
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.
Interlibrary Loan
If the only message you see is "Request document via Interlibrary Loan", you will need to order the article.
Interlibrary Loan is a service provided by FLITE to request articles and books that FLITE does not own. Most often this service is used when searching for articles in FLITE databases, and you are directed through the "Find It" button to request the item. The first time you use this service, you will need to register with ILLiad, our Inter-Library Loan service. Click on the words "First Time Users" to register. You will complete a form, creating a username and password which will be used for future requests. Article requests are emailed to you in 5-10 business days (ferris email preferred), and books will be mailed to you if you are an off-campus student. On-campus students may pick up books at the Checkout Desk. If you are off-campus, you may be able to request interlibrary loan material through your own public library using MeLCat.
To look up whether FLITE owns a particular journal, use the Journals tab or Find-Journals to search for the journal title. Remember to use the journal title not the article title for your search.
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. It can be cutting and pasting text from a web site. A simple rule: Do not copy text from Web pages or other sources without identifying and giving credit to the original author.
Here are some ways to avoid plagiarism, taken from PILOT, the FLITE Information Literacy Online Tutorial.
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
For more information about Plagiarism, please explore the Plagiarism web page provided by the Ferris State University Writing Center.
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.
To learn more about citations, check out this FLITE Citations page.
Print out the FLITE APA Citation Guide and use it to properly format your citations.
Research Assistance
If you have any questions regarding using the library for research, Email Kristy Motz.
If you would like to make an appointment for a one-on-one research consultation with a librarian, use this online form.
Don't forget, you are welcome to contact the Oval Information Desk (231-591-3602) and ask for help. You can also chat with us.
Last update: August 24, 2008