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Research Databases

As discussed in class, MOST of your secondary sources need to come from “scholarly journals.” The best source for journal articles is a subscription database like the following:


EBSCO – a collection of databases, including full-text articles
  • Go to the Ouachita Parish Library (or website:http://www.oplib.org)
  • Click on “Database Links” in the left column
  • Click on “CLICK HERE for our subscription database links”
  • Click on EBSCO
  • Enter your library card number (if not in library)
  • Select a database (I suggest Literary Reference Center)
  • Search using keywords (i.e. "frankenstein AND criticism")
  • Save and/or print
  • You can also access the State Library of Louisiana directly, but you still need an ID.
JSTOR – full-text scholarly articles
  • go to the ULM Library's list of databases
  • Choose JSTOR (or Literature Resource Center)
  • enter user name and password (if off-campus)
  • search using keywords (string together using “and”)
  • click on the title to view the text
  • click PDF to download
  • File -> Save In -> Flash Drive
  • Print out at home!
Of course, reading the abstract (summary) or even the introduction will help you determine relevance. As you print sources, organize your resources as you go. Staple each source and keep in a folder. I don’t require you to turn in note cards with all of your quotes; however, I do require that you highlight each source and attach a note card to the top left corner; this is where you will create a bibliographic citation for the source.

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