If they're not available from MU Library, we can get you the books or articles you need from another library! Visit the Interlibrary Loan information page to get started!.
Google Books is a collection of digital materials derived from print books. You may be able to locate them in the MU catalog or borrow them from another library.
Recommendations for books to be added to our collection are welcome. For information about the process, check out the form found here.
Books and Ebooks can be very useful at the beginning of your project when you're doing background or in-depth research on a topic:
Below are a few suggested E-Book titles on writing and research from the Monmouth University Library catalog. To locate more, use "advanced search" mode and select "E-Book" under the "Location" menu. To view an E-Book, click its title and look for the "Connect to" box.
Advances in Research Using the C-SPAN Archives by
This book is a guide to the latest research using the C-SPAN Archives. In this book, nine authors present original work using the video archives to study presidential debates, public opinion and Congress, analysis of the Violence Against Women Act and the Great Lakes freshwater legislation, as well as President Clinton's grand jury testimony. The C-SPAN Archives contain over 220,000 hours of first run digital video of the nation's public affairs record. These and other essays serve as guides for scholars who want to explore the research potential of this robust public policy and communications resource.
How to Write Essays by 
Writing Essays by 
Writing for Social Scientists by
Students and researchers all write under pressure, and those pressures--most lamentably, the desire to impress your audience rather than to communicate with them--often lead to pretentious prose, academic posturing, and, not infrequently, writer's block. Sociologist Howard S. Becker has written the classic book on how to conquer these pressures and simply write. First published nearly twenty years ago, Writing for Social Scientists has become a lifesaver for writers in all fields, from beginning students to published authors. Becker's message is clear: in order to learn how to write, take a deep breath and then begin writing. Revise. Repeat. It is not always an easy process, as Becker wryly relates. Decades of teaching, researching, and writing have given him plenty of material, and Becker neatly exposes the foibles of academia and its "publish or perish" atmosphere. Wordiness, the passive voice, inserting a "the way in which" when a simple "how" will do--all these mechanisms are a part of the social structure of academic writing. By shrugging off such impediments--or at the very least, putting them aside for a few hours--we can reform our work habits and start writing lucidly without worrying about grades, peer approval, or the "literature." In this new edition, Becker takes account of major changes in the computer tools available to writers today, and also substantially expands his analysis of how academic institutions create problems for them. As competition in academia grows increasingly heated, Writing for Social Scientists will provide solace to a new generation of frazzled, would-be writers.
Below are some suggested titles in our collection on conducting academic research. Use the Monmouth University Library catalog to discover more valuable resources.
The Craft of Research by
With more than 400,000 copies now in print, The Craft of Research is the unrivaled resource for researchers at every level, from first-year undergraduates to research reporters at corporations and government offices. Seasoned researchers and educators Gregory G. Colomb and Joseph M. Williams present an updated third edition of their classic handbook, whose first and second editions were written in collaboration with the late Wayne C. Booth. The Craft of Research explains how to build an argument that motivates readers to accept a claim; how to anticipate the reservations of readers and to respond to them appropriately; and how to create introductions and conclusions that answer that most demanding question, “So what?” The third edition includes an expanded discussion of the essential early stages of a research task: planning and drafting a paper. The authors have revised and fully updated their section on electronic research, emphasizing the need to distinguish between trustworthy sources (such as those found in libraries) and less reliable sources found with a quick Web search. A chapter on warrants has also been thoroughly reviewed to make this difficult subject easier for researchers Throughout, the authors have preserved the amiable tone, the reliable voice, and the sense of directness that have made this book indispensable for anyone undertaking a research project.
Evaluating Research Articles from Start to Finish by
How does one tell if the appropriate design or analysis was used in a research article? Using examples of both good and flawed studies, Ellen R Girden shows how to read qualitative and quantitative research articles critically from start to finish. She explains how to decide whether the conclusions reported in an article are justified, based on the design and analysis of the experiment. By first demonstrating how to analyze an article in each design category - for example, correlational study, factor analysis, narrative analysis - Girden uses targeted questions to assist the reader′s critique of each major section of an article.
Practical Research by
An engaging, cross-disciplinary guide to research methodology Practical Research: Planning and Design is a do-it-yourself, how-to manual for planning and conducting research. Suitable for a wide variety of courses in basic research methodology, the book uses a conversational tone, step-by-step instructions, and practical suggestions to guide the reader from the selection of a problem to the preparation of a completed report. The 12th Edition has been updated to include the latest technology-based strategies and online tools. Other key changes include a better balance between quantitative and qualitative methods and the addition of a new chapter on action research. Also available with MyLab Education MyLab(tm) is the teaching and learning platform that empowers you to reach every student. By combining trusted author content with digital tools and a flexible platform, MyLab personalizes the learning experience and improves results for each student. MyLab Education helps students bridge the gap between theory and practice--better preparing them for success in their future endeavors. Note: You are purchasing a standalone product; MyLab Education does not come packaged with this content. Students, if interested in purchasing this title with MyLab Education, ask your instructor to confirm the correct package ISBN and Course ID. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information. If you would like to purchase both the physical text and MyLab Education, search for: 0134802764 / 9780134802763 Practical Research: Planning and Design plus MyLab Education with Pearson eText -- Access Card Package Package consists of: 0134775651 / 9780134775654 Practical Research: Planning and Design 0134776186 / 9780134776187 MyLab Education with Pearson eText -- Access Card -- for Practical Research: Planning and Design
They Say / I Say by
"They Say / I Say" with Readings shows that writing well means mastering some key rhetorical moves, the most important of which is to summarize what others have said ("they say") in order to set up one's own argument ("I say"). Templates help students make these moves in their own writing, and 50 readings demonstrate the moves and prompt students to think--and write.
Once you find a book on your topic, be sure to look at the book's subject heading. Following the link to this heading will take you to other books on your topic.
