MU LibraryFINDGET HELPSERVICESABOUT Skip to Main Content

HO 296-SS: Honors Thesis-Capstone Prep

This guide is designed to help you locate resources for HO 296-SS: Honors Thesis-Capstone Prep

Video: Why Not Google?

Using HawkFind

What is HawkFind?

  • HawkFind is a comprehensive search tool that searches across all of our databases, periodicals/journals, research guides and library catalog. 

What is it good for?

  • HawkFind is great for searching across the widest possible range of materials if you are not sure where to begin or if your subject is interdisciplinary. 

How do I use it? 

  • Develop a search question and select keywords from that question to use for your search.
  • You can start a simple search from search bar or select "advanced search" for a more focused search. Use the filters to narrow your results, 
  • When you have a list of results, the filters will appear on the left column of your screen. 
  • Click the title of any article to view content.

Use this Step-by-Step guide to HawkFind for more detailed instructions..

HawkFind

  
Scholarly & Peer Reviewed   Beyond Library Collection
  
Advanced Search
   

Tips for Searching Databases

  • Use the word "AND" to combine your keywords to make your search more specific, e.g. "substance abuse" AND "domestic violence."
  • Use synonyms and alternative or related terms - broader or narrower - to expand your relevant results, e.g. "teenagers" | "adolescents" | "youth"
  • Use truncation "*" to search for words with common roots without entering them individually, e.g. searching for teen* retrieves "teen," "teens", "teenaged", "teenagers." Use the "star" symbol (hit "shift" key + 8) to add truncation to your search term.
  • You can limit search results in many databases to academic/peer-reviewed journals, by publication date, or full-text only.

Types of Magazines & Journals

  • All three types of periodicals may appear online or in print.
  • If you are not sure whether your article is appropriate, ask your instructor.
  •  Start from Advanced Search screen and use database filters to select your source type. 
Popular Trade Scholarly
  • Colorful covers
  • Glossy paper
  • Ads
  • Articles on current events
  • General interest
  • Short articles
  • Written by general staff
  • Reviewed by general editor
  • No bibliographies or footnotes
  • Usually called magazines
  • Glossy
  • Ads
  • Articles on industry trends
  • Short articles
  • Written for members of specific industry
  • Written by staff or experts in the field
  • Short or no bibliographies
  • Plain cover, plain paper
  • No ads
  • Primary research, theories, methodologies
  • Lengthy, in-depth articles
  • Written for researchers & professionals
  • Written by experts in the field & researchers
  • Peer reviewed by subject experts
  • Extensive bibliographies & references

 

What is a Scholarly Article?

Scholarly and peer-reviewed articles report on new research. They are published in subject-specific academic journals in order to make such information available to other scholars and academics. 

  • Scholarly journals are written by academics, geared to a specific audience and usually published by organizations with an academic focus.
  • Authors are typically experts or scholars in their field. The author's credentials and affiliations are usually listed.
  • The language of scholarly journals is that of the discipline covered. It assumes that the reader has knowledge of the subject..
  • Scholarly articles always cite information sources using footnotes, endnotes, and/or bibliographies.
  • Scholarly articles are usually lengthy, and can include charts, graphs, and collected data.
  • A scholarly article may also be peer-reviewed; this type of article must be reviewed and approved for publication by a panel of experts in the field.

Google Scholar Search - Details & VIdeo

Search Google Scholar for scholarly full-text materials available in addition to those you locate in HawkFind. If there is a link to the right of any of your search results, follow the link to view the full article (you may not have access to all the articles in your search results). Check out the Google Search tips video (created by Concordia University) for additional help, and be sure to access Google Scholar from the Monmouth University website in order to view accessible articles.

Google Scholar Search