Guidelines Research Paper
GUIDLINES
FOR
WRITING
A
RESEARCH
PAPER
RESEARCH
(Where
to
find
primary
and
secondary
material)
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Evaluate sources you find according to authority, accuracy, and currency. PLAGIARISM (How not to use research material)
University of Innsbruck library (ALEPH library catalogue) Humanities library (Bruno Sander Haus, ground floor) Databases: Many databases can only be accessed via the university network. Use a computer at the university or install a VPN client to log on to the system. You find the portal to access databases on the university library website: http://ub.uibk.ac.at. Some databases provide full text material, others provide sources for articles and books which you have to cross‐check with the library holdings. The most important databases for research in American Studies are: o MLA International Bibliography o Metalib o JSTOR o Academic Search Premier (via EBSCO host) o Contemporary Authors o Literature Online o Periodicals Index Online Video Archive: The Department of American Studies has its own video archive where DVDs and videos can be checked out free. Check the department’s website for more information. Internet: Well used, the Internet can be a great source for your research. However, always double‐check the quality of websites, the provider, and the author’s expertise and authority. The rule of thumb is: If you cannot find all the information you need for a complete and decent bibliographic entry, it is not a source worth using.
Plagiarism is the use of other people’s research achievements or ideas and passing them on as your own or using them without proper acknowledgement. Sources must be provided for direct quotes, summaries, and paraphrases of other people’s work or ideas. For details on how to avoid plagiarism see chapter 2 of the MLA Handbook. Course instructors have access to tools that reveal plagiarism. Students who plagiarize will be failed. TOPIC/THESIS (What your
‐ ‐ ‐
‐ ‐
Evaluate sources you find according to authority, accuracy, and currency. PLAGIARISM (How not to use research material)
University of Innsbruck library (ALEPH library catalogue) Humanities library (Bruno Sander Haus, ground floor) Databases: Many databases can only be accessed via the university network. Use a computer at the university or install a VPN client to log on to the system. You find the portal to access databases on the university library website: http://ub.uibk.ac.at. Some databases provide full text material, others provide sources for articles and books which you have to cross‐check with the library holdings. The most important databases for research in American Studies are: o MLA International Bibliography o Metalib o JSTOR o Academic Search Premier (via EBSCO host) o Contemporary Authors o Literature Online o Periodicals Index Online Video Archive: The Department of American Studies has its own video archive where DVDs and videos can be checked out free. Check the department’s website for more information. Internet: Well used, the Internet can be a great source for your research. However, always double‐check the quality of websites, the provider, and the author’s expertise and authority. The rule of thumb is: If you cannot find all the information you need for a complete and decent bibliographic entry, it is not a source worth using.
Plagiarism is the use of other people’s research achievements or ideas and passing them on as your own or using them without proper acknowledgement. Sources must be provided for direct quotes, summaries, and paraphrases of other people’s work or ideas. For details on how to avoid plagiarism see chapter 2 of the MLA Handbook. Course instructors have access to tools that reveal plagiarism. Students who plagiarize will be failed. TOPIC/THESIS (What your