Librarians can help you with research! They can save you a lot of time and frustration!
How do you contact a librarian? You can instantly chat, submit a question, or make an appointment. Click here for all the options.
If you are on campus, you can come in and speak to a librarian in person during the day. Just ask at the front desk!
To find researchable issues, try articles in publications like:
Reason, and
Be aware that each publication has a certain worldview or political slant. Try Googling your topic plus the name of a publication to see articles from a certain perspective. See this guide to finding newspaper and magazine articles in the online library collection.
For education issues, try:
Liberal Arts Education Recommended Reading List
James G. Martin Center for Educational Renewal,
The Grade, and the
Chronicle of Higher Education.
For Christian perspectives and issues, try these:
The Gospel Coalition, and
Christ & Pop Culture.
For ethical and family-related issues, try:
US Council of Catholic Bishops
Or these influential think tanks:
Manhattan Institute (Conservative) and City Journal
AEI --see "Centers" (Conservative/libertarian)
Cato (Libertarian)
Pew Society (Non-partisan)
Brookings (Non-partisan/liberal)
Hoover Institution (Conservative/libertarian)
Look at ideas & research from influential Think Tanks, advocacy groups, churches/denominations, universities, museums, and other non-profits. Here is our library page on think tanks & policy organizations. Note that each one of these will have a certain ideology and certain goals. Look for sixteen indicators of bias just to be aware of how it influences what you are reading.
Once you have an issue to research, try these recommended research steps:
1. Start with the library's Primo search, which looks for books, e-books, articles, videos, & reference entries (encyclopedias & dictionaries).
2. Then try the library's hundreds of individual subject databases (see the next box on this page or select ones specific to your subject here)
3. Use Google Scholar to search our databases & the web (link it to our library in the Google Scholar drop-down menu; Settings; Library Links)
4. Find credible internet sources (.gov, .edu, open access journals, free archives, classic books online, magazines & newspapers, Christian sites, think tanks). See the rest of this guide for recommended online sources.
5. Use Google Books or Amazon to see all the books that are out there on your topic; both have book previews of the book's introduction, table of contents, and/or index that you can also use to pinpoint the page numbers you need (you can request digitization of a section in Primo).
6. Use the easy new Interlibrary Loan "Get it for me" links in Primo to request that we get you any books or articles that we don't have (you don't need to buy sources!). Use WorldCat.org to search libraries near you for books we don't have (or if you're a distance student).
7. Google more if you're stuck or need more background knowledge. Read up on the basic issues, key terms, important events, influential literature, and major debates. Keep in mind that what comes up in Google must be sifted through for bias, originality, and quality.
Google, Google Scholar, and Google Books are all great tools. You can find background information or basic terminology on your topic through regular Google, as well as religious websites, free archives & e-books, newspaper & magazine articles, think tanks, open-access academic sources, and government sources. Remember to use discernment and that a lot of websites are biased, promotional, or non-credible.
Google Scholar can be used to search for academic sources. Google Books can be used to get book previews. We recommend that you link Google Scholar to our library to see articles owned in our collection instantly.
Directions for how to link Google Scholar to Regent Library:
Tips for Using Google Scholar (Operators)
The librarians have made many short videos, which are posted on our YouTube channel, that explain the best ways to use our tools.
7 Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. (Proverbs 4)