Contact
	Kristen Motz
	Email
	Phone: 231-591-3625
	Office: FLITE 140H

ENGL 250 - Corbett

Where to Find Research Material at FLITE

Community Service Overview and Background Information

What is community service? When did it begin? What are its benefits and challenges?

Locally, there are many community service activities at Ferris State University and in the Big Rapids Community. For example, Ferris State University Dump and Run 2007.

1. Use the CQ Researcher database and search for the entry on "National Service." Select the 2006 essay.

   Essay includes pro/con information which discusses the question: "Should community service be required?" Check the list of sources included in the bibliography at the end of the report for further research.
   
   Use the FLITE Find--Journals (Find A Periodical) tool to see if we can get articles from those journals.

   One link from the "National Service" bibliography offers stats from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics about volunteerism in the U.S.
   (http://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm#volunteer)

2. Do research using the Sage e-Reference Collection (print reference in electronic format.)

   Use the link provided above, or select the "Online Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, etc." link from the FLITE homepage. Search for authoritative information on Volunteerism with resulting entries from "Encyclopedia of Community", "Encyclopedia of War and American Society", and "21st Century Sociology".

3. Online source for background information: VolunteerMatch
   (http://www.volunteermatch.org/about/history)

   Use this website for leads on the background of volunteering.

Reliable Online Information

Government sources

1. Corporation for National and Community Service
   (http://www.nationalservice.org)

   As one of several functions, the Corporation provides "strategic critical support to volunteer organizations that, in turn, deliver much-needed services in communities throughout the country."

2. Michigan Community Service Commission
   (http://www.michigan.gov/mcsc/0,1607,7-137-6113-20613--,00.html)

   From this commission's Mission and Values page: "Since its founding…the MSCS has granted more than $41 million…to community organizations enabling them to engage thousands of Michigan citizens in volunteer service."

Agencies

1. Volunteer Centers of Michigan
   (http://www.mivolunteers.org)
   
   VCM's Vision: "…ensures all volunteer centers have the capacity to positively impact every Michigan community and their citizens through volunteerism."

Reliable Websites

1. Idealist.org from Action without Borders.
   (http://www.idealist.org)

   This website provides access to a "global clearinghouse of nonprofit and volunteering resources".

2. Specific organizations assigned: start with individual websites when available
   
   

   Local organizations (no website): may have county connection. Look for broader coverage than just Big Rapids. American Red Cross and the Michigan Conservation District have a Mecosta County website, not a Big Rapids site.

   Local organizations (no website): may have state/national connections. Work from national/state website--for example, Habitat for Humanity.

   Organizations with no national, state, or local websites: information will have to come as primary information (interview, phone call, local research.)

   Ferris organizations like RSOs: check the Ferris website.
   (http://www.ferris.edu)

   Ferris issues: explore Ferris University Archives to see what other student researchers have found about University issues like parking and printing.
   (http://www.ferris.edu/library/SpecCollections/archives.html)

Finding Topic Resources in a Database

To find journal and newspaper articles and other resources, use one or more of the databases available on the FLITE Web site. You can access thousands of journal titles and millions of articles with authoritative data.

1. Academic OneFile
   

   This database covers all subjects. Start with the Advanced Search screen. Type: community service and set the drop-down box to Subject. In the next box, type your interest such as Health. Another option is to substitute these words for community service: Volunteering, volunteerism , volunteer.

2. ABI-Inform Global
   

   The premier database focused on business, including volunteer opportunities.

3. CINAHL
   

   As a health field database, numerous volunteer opportunities could be found. This is an abstract database. Be sure to use the "Find It" link to reach full-text articles.

4. Social Science Abstracts
   

   Social work and sociology cover volunteerism well. This is another abstact database. The "Find It" link or Interlibrary Loan may be necessary to reach full-text articles (see below.)

5. CQ Researcher
   

   CQ Researcher provides single-themed reports with in-depth, unbiased coverage of a pressing political or social issue, investigated and researched by identified journalists. (This was mentioned as your first source.)

"Find It" Link - Getting the Article

If HTML or PDF full text options are available, click the link to go directly to the full text.

If full text is not an option:

Click the "Find It", link or button;

Select red GO button.

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.

Citations

Citations - a FLITE guide
A guide to understanding citations and a link to different online citation management tools.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism tutorials and self-help guides, plus a link to step-by-step citation assistance.

Citation Style Guide: MLA (PDF)
An online version of FLITE's MLA Quick Reference handout which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

MLA Format
More examples of how cite different types of sources using the MLA format.

Copies of the MLA Handbook (MLA handbook for writers of research papers) are found in the Ready Reference section on Floor 1 of the library near the Oval Information Desk.

Internet Evaluation - Surf Smart

Internet Resources Evaluation
Web Page Evaluation Checklist from University of California at Berkeley

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Contact: Kristen Motz / Email / Phone: 231-591-3625 / Office: FLITE 140H

Don't forget, you are welcome to come to the Oval Information Desk and ask for help any time. You can also call us 231-591-3602 or chat with us.

Last update:February 3, 2009