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Getting Research Assistance

Library Catalog

Catalog Tips

Databases

Database Tips

Websites

 

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Just getting started?

Start by doing some background research. Take time to engage in some brainstorming exercises that will help you identify key subject terms. Encyclopedias and other reference resources can be used to help you refine your subject terms and the citations in these sources can be used to find more information on your topic.

Consider how much time you have to complete your assignment and how hard it will be to get the resources you need for your topic. If you are finding your research difficult to manage, narrow your topic or break your research down into manageable sub-topics. If you are not finding enough information on your topic, try using broader subject terms.

Other Useful Guides

 

Guide to the Library

Using Databases

Citation Guide

 

Library Catalog: Books, Videos, e-Books and more!

 

Call number areas to browse

Subject Area	Call Number Range	Subject Area	Call Number Range	Subject Area	Call Number Range
Modern English	PE 1001-1693	Dialects. Provincialisms	PE 1700-3602	Slang	PE 3701-3729

 

The books in the library are organized by subject. You can browse these call number areas to find related books. So, if you are searching the library catalog and find a book that looks interesting or particularly relevant to your research, you can search the shelves in the library in the same call number area to find related items.

 

Reference Sources

Title	Call Number
The Oxford ESL Dictionary	REF PE1628 .O8685 2004
The American Heritage Thesaurus for learners of English	REF PE1591 .L36 2002
NTC’s American English Learner’s Dictionary: the essential vocabulary of American Language and Culture	REF PE1628 .S5825 1998
How to Prepare for the TOEFL Test	REF PE1128 .S5 2001
Find More

 

The reference collection is located at the back, right-hand side of the library. Items in this collection cannot be checked out, but a copier is conveniently located so you can make copies of the resources you find.

To search the Library Catalog for reference books about ESL, go to www.lonestar.edu/library and select "Advanced Search" on the "Catalog" tab. Enter "ESL" or a related subfield into the "Subject" field and then limit your search by selecting "Collection: Reference Books" from the Collections/Media menu.

To limit your search to items located at Montgomery Library, select "Location: LSC-Montgomery" in the Locations menu.

 

Circulating Books

Title	Call Number
Communicating in English : Talk, Text, Technology	PE1128 .C69388 2012
English the American Way: a fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S.	PE1128 .M78 2011
Perfect Phrases for ESL: Everyday Business Life	PE1128 .G344 2010
Read, Research and Write: Academic Skills for ESL Students in Higher Education	PE1128 .B6595 2009

 

 

 

To search the Library Catalog for books about ESL, go to www.lonestar.edu/library and select "Advanced Search" on the "Catalog" tab. Enter "ESL" or a related subfield into the "Subject" field and then limit your search to items you can check-out by selecting "Collection: Circulating Books" from the Collections/Media menu.

To limit your search to items located at Montgomery Library, select "Location: LSC-Montgomery" in the Locations menu.

 

E-Books

Title	E-Book Type
Advanced English Grammar for ESL Learners	netLibrary eBook
NTC’s Pocket Dictionary of Words and Phrases: 12,000 Words, Idioms and Phrasal Verbs	netLibrary eBook
American Idioms and Some Phrases Just for Fun	netLibrary eBook
Writing American Style: An ESL/EFL Handbook	netLibrary eBook

 

 

 

To search the Library Catalog for e-books about ESL or a related subfield, go to www.lonestar.edu/library and select "Advanced Search" on the "Catalog" tab. Enter "ESL" or a related subfield into the "Subject" field and then limit your search to items you can check-out by selecting "Collection: Electronic Books" from the Collections/Media menu.

To limit your search to items available to Montgomery Library patrons only, select "Location: LSC-Montgomery" in the Locations menu.

 

Audio/Visual Materials

Title	Call Number
Easy English: an ESL Instructional Series	PE1128 .E25 2003
English as a Second Language	P53.2 .E54 2003
Word Town: Basic English Vocabulary	PE1449 .W67 2000
Easy English Vocabulary	PE1449 .E37 2008

 

 

 

To search the Library Catalog for books about ESL, go to www.lonestar.edu/library and select "Advanced Search" on the "Catalog" tab. Enter "ESL" or a related subfield into the "Subject" field and then limit your search to items you can check-out by selecting "Media: Videos, DVDs, films, slides, etc." from the Collections/Media menu.

To limit your search to items located at Montgomery Library, select "Location: LSC-Montgomery" in the Locations menu.

 

Periodicals

Easy English News	Periodicals Collection
News for You	Periodicals Collection
Reading Today	Periodicals Collection

 

The periodical section is located in front of the circulating collection, next to the outdoor patio area. The periodical collection is organized by title. These items cannot be checked out, but there is a copy machine available adjacent to the periodical section.

Tips!

 

Requesting items not available at Montgomery Library:

If there is an item listed in the catalog, but it is not located at Montgomery Library, just select the “Request First Available Copy of this Item” button from the catalog record to have the item sent to Montgomery Library for pick-up. To complete your request, you need your library barcode and PIN number. Generally, your PIN number is the last 4 digits of the phone number you used to register for classes. If you have problems requesting an item, contact the Circulation Desk in person, at 936.273.7387 or email mclr@lonestar.edu

 

 

If the item is not available in the catalog:

Just select the “Requests” tab located in the upper, right-hand side of the screen. Complete and submit the Inter-Library Loan Request Form – LSCS. Contact a librarian if you need help!

 

Research Databases: Find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles

 

Recommended Databases

Academic Search Complete	Multi-disciplinary database; full text of articles from over 5,300 journals, magazines and newspapers, plus image collections.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia	General encyclopedia with over 25,000 entries covering a variety of subject areas.

 

Tips!

Finding the right database:

If you’d like to explore a subject area: Access the Research Databases: www.lonestar.edu/library -> Find Articles Tab -> Select a category that is relevant to your topic.

If you know the title of the journal you’re looking for, use the A to Z Electronic Journal Search to find out which database provides access to that journal: www.lonestar.edu/library -> Find Articles Tab -> A to Z Electronic Journal Search -> Select “Search” tab

If you know the database title: www.lonestar.edu/library -> Find Articles Tab -> Find Database by Title

If the full-text/PDF version of an article is not available, select the “Check LinkSource for more information” link to see if another database offers full-text access.

 

Accessing Databases from Home:

You can access these databases from home using your library barcode number. If you have problems accessing the databases, contact the Circulation Desk in person, at 936.273.7387 or email mclr@lonestar.edu

 

 

Interlibrary Loan (ILL):

If you are not able to find a resource that you need in the databases or in the library catalog, you can request the item via the Interlibrary Loan Form: http://www.lonestar.edu/library/interlibrary-request.htm

 

 

Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed Sources

Scholarly articles are written by an authority on the subject and are meant to share primary research with others in the field. Unlike popular sources, scholarly sources generally have a narrow audience and include a clear author or sponsoring association. These documents are very structured and usually include a literature review, methodology, and extensive citations. Many scholarly sources are also peer-reviewed which means others in the field reviewed the work before it was published. Many databases will allow you to limit your search to scholarly and/or peer-reviewed sources – look for this option.

 

Websites

Occasionally the librarians at LSC - Montgomery library will find a website they consider exceptional or particularly useful for academic research.

 

Suggested Websites:

Activities for ESL/EFL Students	a4esl.org
Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary	learnersdictionary.com
English as a Second Language	rong-chang.com
ESL Study Hall	home.gwu.edu/~meloni/eslstudyhall
Writing in North American Higher Education: A Primer for International Students	owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/683/01
Using English	usingenglish.com