Q: Why use library resources instead of the web?
A: Library databases allow you to quickly find relevant scholarly information you can use in research papers or other projects. Much of the information on the web is "hidden" behind paywalls or passwords; the library pays to provide these resources so that they are free for you to access. Unlike the web, where anyone can post anything, content in journal databases has gone through an approval process to evaluate for accuracy. In addition, you also have access to databases that include eBooks, newspapers, music, videos, and art. Even if you can't find what you're looking for, we can usually obtain it from another library. If you'd like to learn more about this, visit the About Interlibrary Loan page on the library website.
A: Peer-reviewed articles are those that have been reviewed by a group of experts, before being published in a scholarly journal. The peer-review process makes sure that publications are accurate and thoroughly researched. Researchers using peer-reviewed articles can be confident that those sources are reliable and authoritative.
Many of the library databases contain scholarly information, and allow search results to be limited to only include peer-reviewed articles. Academic Search Complete and Sage Journals are two databases that cover a wide variety of subjects, and are good starting points when doing research. There are also databases that focus on subjects such as Nursing, Science, Education, Business, Criminal Justice, and more.
You can find the full list of library databases at https://www.viterbo.edu/library/databases.
The following is a list of print & eBooks the library owns that deal with critical thinking and evaluating information. Check one of these out to learn more about these subjects, and to become a more informed researcher!
The following are library databases which contain scholarly journal articles. Read the descriptions to learn more.
Books, eBooks, and encyclopedias are good resources for finding background information. Use the following resources to find these:
