GEG 242: Research Methods in Geography: Tracking Down Sources

Finding full copies of sources is one of the biggest hurdles in conducting research. With the internet, it's easy to find out if a source exists, but you can often only access the full text through a library. The systems involved are complex and don't always communicate well with each other. Plus you often end up on publishers' websites, where they want you to pay for an article.

• Never pay for an article. The Library can almost always track down what you need FOR FREE.

Use the information on this page to track down full copies of materials. Please ask for help if you hit a roadblock - this is one of the most common issues in research today and librarians are experts in helping you overcome these obstacles. You can also find more details on the Interlibrary Loan page.

In many cases, before you can track down full copies of materials, you need to know what kind of source it is. Here are some of the most common sources and what to look for in the citation (note that citations will look different in various citation styles):

• Journal article - Usually contains the title of an article in quotations and then the title of a journal in italics. Look for volume and issue numbers.

• Book - Almost always contains a place of publication or publisher, although this is changing in recent updates to some style guides. The book title is usually italicized or underlined.

• Chapter in an edited volume (book) - Also usually contains a city of publication or publisher. Title of chapter is usually in quotations and title of book is italicized. Look for editors (usually abbreviated ed or eds.)

For examples of other sources and how how citations look in various citation styles, visit our Cite Your Sources guide. Once you've decoded your citation, use the information on this page to track down hard copies. A librarian can also help you figure out your source type.

Example: Questions to ask as you track down the sources below:

1. What type of source  is it (book, article, other)?
2. Is it available at Gustavus (in print or online)? If so, where/how would you find it in our collection?
3. If it's not available at Gustavus, how would go you about getting a copy?