Not finding what you need?
Feeling frustrated?
Having trouble using the library databases?
Then it’s probably time to ask a librarian for some help.
Tim Aman, SCC Librarian
tim.aman@scc.spokane.edu
SCC Librarians are available for in-person help at the Library Reference Desk Monday - Friday 7:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
If you need immediate help, contact a librarian any time using our online chat service.
(Evenings and weekends you may be chatting with a librarian from another college. Ask for an SCC librarian to contact you for follow-up if needed.)
Is this your first time doing research? Just follow these eight steps.
make sure you understand the assignment
clearly state your topic
think about the search words you will use
select the library research databases you will use
search for and select your sources
collect the citations for your MLA Works Cited
take notes from your sources
create your presentation
Try limiting your Google search to a particular domain (such as .edu or .gov which are restricted domains). You may find more reliable information. Here are a couple of search examples:
"culture shock" ESL site:.edu
stress adult brain site:.gov
The SCC Library has a research guide specifically for Happiness:
https://libguides.scc.spokane.edu/happiness
The purpose of this research guide is to help students in Kevin Lemberger's ESL class find credible and academic information sources. This guide will suggest useful sources, search techniques and evaluation methods for researching your topic.
SEARCH TIP
Start your research by writing down search words that describe the elements of your topic. For example, when researching happiness and stress you might try using these words:
Search example: happiness AND stress AND children
LIBRARY RESEARCH DATABASES - able to create MLA citations automatically
Reference Books (including encyclopedias) - concise, general background information; articles often written by experts who are university professors
Books
Periodicals - magazines, newspapers, scholarly journals
Here's an example of a search in the ProQuest database:
Barbee, Aaron. Everything You Need to Know About Stress Management. Need to Know Series. [Newmarket, Ont.]: BrainMass Inc, 2012. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=529740&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Brewer, Judson, and Jon Kabat-Zinn. The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love? Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=1478420&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Carr, Deborah. Worried Sick: How Stress Hurts Us and How to Bounce Back. Pinpoints. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 2014. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=1239118&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Doyle, Shawn. Jumpstart Your Happiness: Your Jolts to Prosperity, Motivation, & Living with Intention. Jumpstart. Shippensburg, PA: Sound Wisdom, 2019. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=1937283&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Greenberg, Melanie. The Stress-Proof Brain: Master Your Emotional Response to Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2017. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=1456604&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Hall, Nick. Winning the Stress Challenge. Vol. First edition. [New York]: G&D Media, 2019. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=1908729&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Johnson, Amy. The Little Book of Big Change: The No-Willpower Approach to Breaking Any Habit. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2016. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=1132081&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Selig, Meg. Changepower!: 37 Secrets to Habit Change Success. New York: Routledge, 2010. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=295658&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
van Gelder, Sarah and the staff of Yes! Magazine. Sustainable Happiness: Live Simply, Live Well, Make a Difference. San Francisco, US: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2015. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=nlebk&AN=856027&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
"Best Ways to Manage Stress." Harvard Health Publications.Harvard Health Letter., 02, 2015, https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/best-ways-manage-stress/docview/1652255298/se-2?accountid=1587.
Christensen, Jen. "Want to be Happy and Successful? Try Compassion." CNN Wire Service, Apr 04, 2017. https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/want-be-happy-successful-try-compassion/docview/1886612005/se-2?accountid=1587.
Clifford, Catherine. "The Happiness Report." Good Housekeeping, 09, 2000, 106-109, https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/happiness-report/docview/220438020/se-2?accountid=1587.
James-Enger, Kelly. "Stress Management for all Ages." Vibrant Life, Sep, 2013, 6-9, https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/stress-management-all-ages/docview/1439114625/se-2?accountid=1587.
Jones, Joe. "How to Stop Bad Habits and Start Good Ones: The Power of Mastering Competencies Consistently." HRNews (Sep 07, 2017). https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/how-stop-bad-habits-start-good-ones/docview/2022147674/se-2?accountid=1587.
Saltarelli, Judy. "Stress Management in Today's Busy World." Natural Life, Sep, 2000, 20, https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/stress-management-todays-busy-world/docview/213057119/se-2?accountid=1587.
Spence, Evelyn. "Break Your Bad Habits." Prevention, 01, 2018, 50-55, https://ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/magazines/break-your-bad-habits/docview/2234981857/se-2?accountid=1587.
Zable Margie F. "7 Ways Exercise Makes You Happy — and how Much You Need to Improve Your Mood." Insider, Inc. US edition, https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.ccs.spokane.edu/docview/2459080806/21713230581E4C6FPQ/1?accountid=1587
YouTube videoExample: McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube, uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bWW3E. Online image
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Combine the citation elements in this way:
Creator’s Last name, First name. “Title or description of the digital image.” Title of the website, Publication date, URL.
Example:
Al-Rubaye, Ahmad, “The photo shows Iraqi schoolgirls in one of the many temporary schools built after the end of the war.” Mufta, 27 May 2013, muftah.org/bombs-backpacks-education-in-iraq/#.WYoQUGffOw8.