Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
Reference materials can be great places to go to find background information when you're just getting started. The library has a large print reference collection, but these two databases also contain a great deal of helpful material.
- GVRL (Gale Virtual Reference Library) This link opens in a new windowA collection of reference ebooks in the following subject areas: Biography, Business, History, Law, Literature, Medicine, Nation and World, Religion, Science, Social Science, World Literature and Its Times.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowFeatures content from reference book formats such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, and books of quotations, plus subject-specific titles in subjects ranging from agriculture to philosophy to technology.
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowThe largest, most up-to-date, authoritative, and accessible reference work in the world. This huge resource contains almost 2 million words and phrases from Oxford's English language and bilingual dictionaries. Individual Oxford titles may be found amongst our Databases - By Subject pages. We do not subscribe to all content.
- Sage Knowledge This link opens in a new windowIncludes an expansive range of Sage eBook and eReference content for students, researchers, and faculty. This collection includes scholarly monographs, reference works, handbooks, encyclopedias, textbooks and more.
DISCOVER
Recommended Databases
Search in the databases to find scholarly articles on your topic. For search strategies take a look at the "Search Tips" page on this guide.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowComprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and a total of more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887. Searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,400 journals.
Please leave feedback about this resource! - Web of Science This link opens in a new windowClarivate Analytics' premier citation databases in the sciences (physical, life and social) and arts & humanities. Search for articles that cite a known author or work or by standard search queries. Covers 1864 to the present.
- JStor This link opens in a new windowA collection of full-text articles from over 3000 scholarly journals, many dating from the nineteenth-century to the last 4 or 5 years. A growing number of titles are available through the current issues, as part of their "Current Scholarship Program". Select Advanced Search to strategically search amongst 45 disciplines. Choose PDF from within JStor to properly view and print articles. For convenience, JStor is now searchable on Facebook.
- Social Sciences Full Text This link opens in a new windowIndexes over 300 English-language periodicals covering anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, and related fields. Covers 1983 to the present.
- News Research (Nexis Uni) This link opens in a new windowNews resources, including newspapers, magazines, newswires, broadcast transcripts, blog and web publications, reviews, obituaries, and editorials. If you would like to search a specific newspaper, such as the New York Times, click on advanced options and type the title of the paper you would like to search in the source box.
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new windowHistorical access to the New York Times (1851-2015), Chicago Tribune (1849-1996), Los Angeles Times (1881-1995), Philadelphia Inquirer (1860-2001), and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (1786-2003). Also features recent issues of the New York Times (2008- two months ago) and Wall Street Journal (2008- two months ago).
Interlibrary Loan/ILL: Articles and Books
To request articles or books/book chapters or other materials not available at F&M, use Interlibrary Loan/ILL 
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Librarian
Picking Your Topic is Research
This video was created by NCSU
What makes a good research question?
Consider these questions when formulating your research question:
- Do you find the research topic interesting?
- Is your question open ended?
- Can you take a stand on your topic (compare/contrast, problem solve, etc.)?
- Is your topic too broad, too narrow, or okay?
- Will you be able to find the resources to answer your question?
Research Help
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