Research Tools- middle and high school

Subscription databases are collections of reliable information arranged for ease and speed of search and retrieval.  You will be asked to authenticate using your Pitkin County Library Card number to use the databases. (Also see below for citations machine links)

DATABASES-
Sirs is a general reference database for grades K-12, containing full-text articles exploring social, scientific, health, historic, economic, political and global issues. Sirs also provides help with citing your resources and writing your research paper.

EBSCO is a collection of over 20 databases that provide access to full text articles and citations from journals, magazines, newspapers and reference sources.  To search the databases all together use the EBSCO link to the left and select all the databases from the list.
EBSCO BASIC SEARCH FLASH TUTORIAL

• Literary Reference Center- for research on authors, their works and their times FLASH TUTORIAL
• Points of View Reference Center- find information on current events around the world FLASH TUTORIAL
• History Reference Center- for social studies and history topics
• Science Reference Center- for science and health topics
• MAS Ultra- School Edition- designed for high school libraries with popular high school magazines & reference book articles as well as biographies, primary source documents and and image collection (1975- current)
• Middle Search Plus- full text magazine articles for middle school research
• Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia- providing general information on a variety of topics- a great place to start your research
  

Literature Reference Center- This site- from Cengage Learning- contains biographical information on over 120,000 authors, critical essays on contemporary authors, full text poems, short stories, plays and speeches, and essays on more than 1,600 authors and literary genres.

REFERENCE-
Ask Colorado- A free online information service provided by Colorado libraries for all Colorado students and residents. Ask Colorado allows you to chat live with a librarian anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except major holidays).

BIBLIOGRAPHY MLA formats (pdf)
Citation machines are online tools that help you format your source citations.  You identify the type of source you are using- a book, website, etc., fill-in as much information as you can and the citation machine will format your citation for you- simly copy and past into your bibliography or source citation document.

 

OTHER TOOLS- Power Point Presentations that will help you evaluate what you're finding onthe web, search the web nore effectively and cite your sources:

        web evaluation PPT      Google search tips PPT       MLA in-text citations PPT

TEST PREP & PRACTICE-
Learning Express Library-  Practice tests for academic standardized tests and professional licenses, such as the TEOFL, SAT, GED, GRE, citizenship and many more.  There is also a job search & workplace skills learning center where you can build a resume and strengthen interview skills.