LibGuides: EN 102 Guide: Home

What is This and Why am I here?

The purpose of this guide is to help you be successful in EN 102. Locating and using credible, academic source materials are important strategies used in every academic discipline. The library should be your first-stop when it comes to working on research intensive assignments. These links will help you get set up for navigating the library. Start with the videos on the right to give you a basic understanding of some simple search strategies, then read through the database links to see which one will best meet the needs of your project.

Which database should I use?

To find a list of all of our databases click the A-Z Database list. Below is a list of databases that we've highlighted for you because they should be very helpful starting points for your EN 102 Research Paper.

Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Academic Search Complete is the world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,800 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,700 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 13,600 journals, and searchable cited references for more than 1,400 journals.
Media: Online database
Access: Campus-wide and Internet
Content: Abstracts; Full TextThe database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,460 journals.
Gale Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window
Academic OneFile is the premier source for peer-reviewed, full-text articles from the world's leading journals and reference sources. With extensive coverage of the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, literature and other subjects, Academic OneFile is both authoritative and comprehensive.
Gale in Context Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
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Database of contemporary social issues with content structured to promote critical-thinking skills and information literacy
- More than 400 reference book titles and 8,700 pro and con viewpoint articles
- Periodicals, podcasts, reviewed Web links, images, statistical tables, charts and graphs
- Includes Lexile reading levels for periodical content

Pro Con
Founded on July 12, 2004, ProCon.org is the country's leading source for pro, con, and related research on controversial issues. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit nonpartisan public charity, ProCon.org uses professional researchers and rigorous editorial standards to explore more than 80 controversial issues from gun control and death penalty to illegal immigration and alternative energy. Understanding issues using this structured methodology helps to improve academic performance, increase civic engagement, strengthen personal resiliency, bridge political divides, and stimulate critical thinking – the #1 skill sought by employers and educators.

Salem Science This link opens in a new window
Salem Science books available digitally.
Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
Academic Video Online is the most comprehensive video subscription available to libraries. It delivers more than 62,000 titles spanning the widest range of subject areas including anthropology, business, counseling, film, health, history, music, and more. Curated for the educational experience, the massive depth of content and breadth of content-types (such as documentaries, films, demonstrations, etc.) in Academic Video Online makes it a useful resource for all types of patrons, giving libraries a high return on investment.

Subjects Covered: General Reference
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
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Credo Reference is an easy to use tool for research projects and homework. A giant online collection that searches hundreds of encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, quotations and subject specific titles as well as 200,000+ images and audio files and nearly 1000 videos.
Create concept maps for STEM topics; Comprehensive
Topic Pages; D-K Eyewitness series books on science,
health and medicine, technology, and engineering. STEAM
Jobs in and STEM Everyday book series
STEM Everyday series
Britannica Online This link opens in a new window
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Includes all the content of the 32-volume Encyclopedia Britannica, plus the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia for quick answers to everyday questions and the Britannica Student Encyclopedia, which is ideal for students in grades 5-9. In addition, a world atlas covers the geography, economies, and cultures of more than 215 countries.
Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window
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Newspaper Source™ Plus includes more than 1,000 full-text newspapers, providing more than 38 million full-text articles. The database contains comprehensive full text for major newspapers such as the Christian Science Monitor, San Francisco Chronicle, The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), The Times (UK), Toronto Star, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times (DC) and others.

All staff articles are also included from many newspapers, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, Houston Chronicle, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), etc.