The Research Process



  WAGGONER LIBRARY

Trevecca Nazarene University
333 Murfreesboro Road
Nashville, TN 37210-2877
http://library.trevecca.edu/
Circulation Desk: 615-248-1214    Reference Desk: 615-248-1570

The library is dedicated to facilitating education and research by providing access to resources
and quality services for the University community.

 

*Committed professionals     *Effective communication   

 

*Supportive technology    *User-centered service

 


Hours Fall and  Spring Semesters Summer Semester
Monday 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M. 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Tuesday 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M. 10:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Wednesday 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M. 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Thursday 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M. 10:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Friday 8:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Saturday 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
Sunday 2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. Closed

For May Mini-Term, and holiday hours, please call the library
 Or check hours from the Waggoner Library Web site.
Circulation Desk: 615-248-1214    Reference Desk: 615-248-1570



Step 1:  Locating books and the online catalog
great for comprehensive information, overviews

  • Books can be located from the Waggoner library Web site
  • The Online Catalog allows you to search by author, title, subject, and keyword.
  • Search other area libraries with one search question through ATHENA.  A courier service allows a patron to retrieve a book from ATHENA within 5-7 working days.  Requests can be made online.  There is no fee for Trevecca patrons.
  • netLibrary and ebrary Ebook collections integrate over 56,000 full text ebooks into the library holdings.  netLibrary and ebrary can also be searched directly.

Searching the Online Catalog

Keyword VS Subject Searching Keywords are searched by the database simply by matching the spelling of the word/phrase-NO meaning is attached.  Searching by subject (or author and title) will attach a meaning to the spelling creating a better result list.  If you cannot find any titles after searching by subject, enter your terms in as a keyword search.  This will broaden the search.

Advanced Search provides options to search the Reserve Room and Electronic Journal Titles as well as Basic Search options of Author, Title, and Subject.

Searching other libraries through Athena  If you need book materials to supplement the TNU collection, click on the Search ATHENA link on the Library web page.  This virtual online catalog provides access to several local area libraries including Trevecca, MTSU, Vanderbilt, Nashville Public Library, and TSU. Retrieved titles can be ordered online for no cost.  They will be couried to Trevecca for pickup.  There is no cost to Trevecca students and faculty.

Online Catalog Result List The search result list appears in the order a record was entered into the catalog.  The holdings line provides call number as well as indicates whether a book has been checked out by using the phrase “No copies available.”  Also included in the library holdings are e-books from netLibrary or ebrary which are indicated by the phrase [electronic resource] in the title line.

Checking out/Renewing library books  These are checked out at the Main Circulation Desk with a maximum of ten books and are due back your last class meeting. Your TNU I.D. card serves as your library card. Books cannot be checked out from the Web site.

Materials can be renewed online! From the library home page click on the “My Account” link on the menu.
Follow instructions to view your account. The renew link will appear on the screen.  Books cannot be renewed if they are overdue.  Call 615.248.1214 for assistance.

Obtaining materials using Waggoner’s Interlibrary Loan Services   
  
All transactions for ILL are handled through the Interlibrary Loan Services Librarian. Complete an online form on the library Web site following the ILL link on the menu.  Allow 7-10 days for the requested book to arrive and 7 days for article reprints.  Items are sent to the Library for pickup.  There is no charge for this service for Trevecca students and faculty.

Books:  Books generally have a three to four week checkout period.  Turnaround time for book requests is about 7 working days. There are generally no fees for this service; however, late fine charges for ILL books are $.50 per day.

Journal Article Reprints: If a journal is unavailable at TNU a reprint of it can be ordered using the online form.   There is no cost. Allow 7 days for delivery of the article.



Step 2: Locating professional journal articles
current, scholarly and shorter articles, most easily accessed online

Online account information is provided exclusively for Trevecca Nazarene University. Our licensure agreements permit use of databases only by Trevecca faculty and students.  Please help us maintain the integrity of our licensure agreements by not sharing passwords with family, coworkers, and friends.


If you know the journal title: 

    From the library homepage, enter the name of the journal in the search box near the top right.  Change the tag to read “Journal Title” then enter.  If your journal is full text in one of our databases the result will include a link to the database where you can access the full text.  The result list will also indicate coverage dates if the journal is available in print or microfilm as well.  If there were no hits you can complete online an ILL form requesting a journal article reprint. Allow 7 days for receipt of the reprint.


If you are searching by subject: 

      Electronic Resources Link: You can select a general database, peruse by field of study or browse by title of database.  Accessing subscriber databases off campus requires you to provide your name and the ID number from your student ID.   

Database Descriptions


  • ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials – an online full text database of journals indexed in the ATLA Religion Indexes also including abstracts and citations for religion related topics.  ATLASerials is an ongoing collection of religious journals.
  • Business Source Premier – an online database providing full text business and economic articles.  Harvard Business Review is full text in this database.
  • Christian Periodical Index – an online abstracted index to religious publications not commonly found in the major indexes such a Holiness Today.
  • Custom Newspapers - provides full text newspapers articles from all regions of the U.S.
  • ebrary - integrates overe 30,000 full text online books into the library book collection.
  • ERIC – Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a database that covers all aspects of education. From recreation programs for prison inmates to training interns how to work with closed head injured patients to the traditional education topics like classroom management. There are two types of materials indexed in ERIC, ED’s (ERIC Documents) which are reproduced full text on microfiche or available online through the new ERIC site [http://www.eric.ed.gov] and EJ’s (ERIC Journals) which are located by journal title within the library’s periodical collection. ERIC can be searched through ProQuest.
  • ERIC Plus TextLinking the entire ERIC database with full-text and/or full-image articles only from nearly 260 leading journals, ERIC PlusText, part of part of ProQuest. It is a primary source for any educationally related topic.
    • The SearchERIC site includes thesaurus browsing, a search wizard, as well as expert searches to choose from.  http://searcheric.org   Syracuse University sponsors the Educators Reference Desk at http://www.eduref.org/ Along with searching the database this site includes lesson plans, TV companion guides.
  • Hoover's Academic - provides marketing and research data necessary in creating effective marketing plans for all types of companies and products.
  • InfoTrac Databases/TEL– The Tennessee Electronic Library provides access to a collection of InfoTrac databases.  Many of the articles are available full text online. It is accessible from the library’s Web site “Databases” link. The password “elvis” is needed when accessed off campus. The collection includes the following databases:
    • Academic OneFlie - 1980-present. General, interdisciplinary database.
    • Professional Collection – 1980-present. Aspects of education.
    • Business & Company ASAP – 1980 – present.  All aspects of business and management topics. Includes directory listings for over 150,000 companies as well as information on Finance, Trade, New Technologies, Trends and more.
    • Computer Database – 1980-present. Computer applications & products.
    • Religion and Philosophy – 1980-present. 
    • Expanded Academic ASAP – 1980 to present. From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, across all academic disciplines.
    • Military and Intelligence includes some basic reference materials that are updated annually: The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia and The World Almanac and Book of Facts.  Additionally included are more than 500 titles and more than 10 million articles. 
    • Health Reference Center Academic- 1996 to present. Fitness, Pregnancy, Medicine, Nutrition, Diseases, Public Health, Occupational Health & Safety. The material contained in this database is for informational purposes only.
  • JSTOR - back issue collection of 58 language and literature scholarly journals.
  • netLibrary- about 26,000 full text ebooks. An account must be created to check out books online.
  • ProQuest Direct –This online full text database covers all major subject areas.  It is accessible from all workstations in the library, computer labs on campus as well as can be accessed off campus with an account number and password.  PQD is very complementary to the InfoTrac databases.
  • PsycARTICLES  Full text articles from about 60 selected APA published psychology journals.  Accessed through ProQuest.
  • PsycINFO - An abstracted online database that is the authoritative source in the field of psychology.  It is the electronic version of Psychological Abstracts. PsycINFO indexes professional journal articles as well as dissertations in the field of psychology.  Dissertations have to be ordered using Interlibrary Loan.    
  • Social Science Full Text – A full text online database, part of WilsonWeb, covering all aspects of the social sciences; social welfare, social work, psychology from 1995 - present.     

Important Disclaimer!  Online databases may change their format, search strategies and topics indexed at any given time.    Consequently, Waggoner library may even drop a database if cost to maintain it becomes too prohibitive.  When you come into the library for Module Three you will receive the most up to date information regarding databases.  If you need assistance email  library@trevecca.edu


   * Note: when accessing databases from off campus, you will be asked to verify your Trevecca status with your name and the 11 digit barcode number from your student I.D.



Step 3: Locating Traditional Reference & Stack books
brief information written by experts; concise introductions, facts or definitions

    The reference collection consists of specialized encyclopedias and subject dictionaries representing all major fields.  These titles are indexed in the online catalog but most have their own index with the set.  These sources differ from general sources in that they are scholarly works.  Consult with the Reference Desk staff for assistance. Photocopies can be made of needed text. Some titles have duplicates in the stacks; it will be noted on the online catalog record as a copy.

   Traditional Reference materials are located on the main floor of Waggoner Library and not available for checkout.  Material can be photocopied.   Circulating Books are located on the second floor of Waggoner. Traditional undergraduate students have a four week checkout period for circulating books. 
Graduate students and degree completion students have due dates that correlate with their program calendars.



Step 4: Locating materials on the Internet  
amazing depth and breadth of available information; important to evaluate websites.

The Internet has become a primary tool for students to find information for papers and projects. It is a great tool if it is used wisely and critically by students.   Web evaluation skills are critical to having success in searching the Internet. It is important to not rely on just Internet sources when doing your research. 
Advanced Search options in the major search engines provide you with limiters so you can have a strong and relevant result list. 

Waggoner Library has compiled a list of reviewed Internet sites accessed from the 'Electronic Resources'' link from the library homepage   MLA and APA Documentation sites are found here as well.



Waggoner Library Contact Information

Trevecca Nazarene University
333 Murfreesboro Road
Nashville, TN 37210-2877
http://library.trevecca.edu/
Ask a Librarian virtual chat with a librarian

Circulation Desk: 615-248-1214    Reference Desk: 615-248-1570