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ENG 101: English Composition I - Gray: Doing Research

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RCC Library

1234 Columbus Avenue
Building 3, Room 211
Boston, MA 02120
Phone: 617-541-5323
Fax: 617-933-7476
Email: library1@rcc.mass.edu

Search the Web

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Databases

Databases are searchable collections of articles, often surrounding a certain topic. The databases listed below will provide resources that are relevant to African American women and society. When you're using these databases from off campus, you'll need to type in your library barcode number for access. If you don't have a library barcode yet, email library1@rcc.mass.edu.

Selecting Sources for Research Papers

Kinds of Sources

Information comes from many places. We may get information from books, the news, or social media.

When using information for an academic task, such as a research paper, some sources may be more helpful than others. The library provides access to the following kinds of sources:

  • Scholarly articles (peer reviewed research from academic journals)
  • Books
  • Ebooks 
  • News and magazine articles
  • Reference books, such as encyclopedias and dictionaries
  • Streaming videos

Choosing scholarly sources (such as scholarly articles) for your research assignments is an important part of the research process. 

Evaluating Sources

When you locate a source that you  may want to use in your research, you should first make sure that the source is reliable, up to date, and relevant to your research topic. No matter what your source type (scholarly article, book, encyclopedia, etc.), ask yourself the following questions:

  • When was this source published? Is the information outdated, or is it still up to date? (Currency)
  • Who created this source, and what are their qualifications? Are they an expert on the topic? (Authority)
  • Is the information true? Can you fact-check it? (Accuracy)
  • Does the source help you answer your research question? Is it a relevant source? (Relevance)
  • Why was this information published? To inform you? To sell you something? To convince you? (Purpose)

Asking these questions will help you choose the best sources for your paper.

Professor

Professor Rhonda Gray

rgray@rcc.mass.edu

Office 3-332

Roxbury Community College

Librarian

Julia Greider's picture
Julia Greider
Contact:
Roxbury Community College Library
Academic Building Room 211
1234 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA 02120
(857) 701-1387

Library Hours

Library Hours

On Campus Hours

By reservation only!

Monday: 8:30 - 5:00 pm

Tuesday: 8:30 - 5:00 pm

Wednesday: 8:30 - 5:00 pm

Thursday: 8:30 - 5:00 pm

Friday: 8:30 - 5:00 pm

Saturday: CLOSED

Sunday: CLOSED

Virtual Hours

Monday: 8:30 - 8:00 pm
Tuesday: 8:30 - 8:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:30 - 8:00 pm
Thursday: 8:30 - 8:00 pm
Friday: 8:30 - 5:00 pm
Saturday: 8:30 - 3:00 pm

You can find the services we offer at a distance via Zoom, Teams, and other internet-based methods on our remote services page.

 

Evening class instruction available by request. To see if the RCC Library is closed on school holidays and semester breaks, please consult the Library Calendar.

Contact Us

857-701-1380

or via text at 857-877-2255

library1@rcc.mass.edu

1234 Columbus Avenue
Building 3, Room 211
Boston, MA 02120