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SCOM 1500: Public Speaking: Searching for Sources

Subject Librarian

Profile Photo
Leslie Madden
she/her
Contact:
Library South
Suite 542
404-413-2807

Discover

The GSU Library has a search box called Discover on the homepage. Should you use it or search one of the library's databases (A-Z databases)? If you try it, here are some tips:

  • Be specific with key words. Example: search "local food movement". Put phrases in quotation marks.
  • Use the Advanced search to limit with additional keywords such as United States.
  • Use the limits on the left such as scholarly (peer reviewed) articles, full text, or library catalog.

You may want to consider searching a database in the A to Z list such as Academic Search Complete , JSTOR, or Research Library.

Did You Know? Finding Resources in Specific Subject Areas

The library offers you a helpful tool for finding databases by subject area! 

On the library's homepage, just below the "Advanced Discover Search," you'll see "Go to Databases by Subject." All of the subject areas taught at GSU are listed in the dropdown menu. Selecting a subject will bring up a list of databases that relate to that subject -- often with several marked as "Best Bets" for getting started finding resources for that topic. 

Selecting "African American Studies" here

gets you to this:

Selected General Reference

Some subject areas taught at GSU have research guides which include reference-source information for those subjects. For example:

You can see all of our research guides by subject area by clicking on the Research Guides tab on the library's homepage, and selecting a subject area from the dropdown menu. 

Government Documents Resources

See also our Government Information guide.

As GSU students, you also have access to the GSU Law Library and its reference librarians, who can help you with legal research and reference questions.

Broadcast News Transcripts

Resources for searchable text transcripts of TV news coverage. Some include video, some don't.