Research means finding the best information for the problem that you need to solve. At the senior level (or in any field where time and money matter) you need to find specific information and that usually means going beyond the first things you find on Google.

General encyclopedias like Wikipedia give you basic information, but it has limitations. See the USING WIKIPEDIA GUIDE for recommendations about using it. It's a good place to start and gather background information and referrals to other sources.

Academic and substantive news sources will be often be found in DATABASES. And, of course books (including 130,000 e-books) which you will find through the OPAC.

You can also get good information from experts in the field so don't overlook interviewing but remember that material from interviews usually has to be put into context or supports and that means you will need to research in advance.

Be realistic...the more complex your questions and issues, the more you need to read and think and evaluate. Facts are fairly easy to find but you can't make a strong argument on facts alone. You need to go beyond facts for your Capstone paper. You are going to be asked to explain and interpret and for that you will be using other people's ideas. You may find your position changing as you research; that is the nature of learning.

Finally, don't forget that you can always ask your instructor or the librarian about sources.

NOTE: In articles found in databases, the citation information will be included so that you don't need to create it yourself. It's a real time saver!

Some of the sources for your annotated bibliography should include journal articles and/or books. You will find articles through the Otis DATABASES and books found through the OPAC. You must annotate and evaluate the sources including the identifying the credentials of the author and the type of information (scholarly, popular, etc.) and intended audience.

EVALUATING & CITING SOURCES

SAMPLE ANNOTATIONS

Students are often confused about what to cite, when to cite, how to cite.  In a world with so much information available, it is important to acknowledge the original ideas and the exact words of your sources. Citing is like leaving a trail for the reader to know exactly where you got any information that was not your original idea. This includes images as well unless they are your original work. It means that it you paraphrase original ideas or texts, you still need to cite the source. Paraphrasing is a good idea most of the time because it means that what you are writing keeps the same syle and voice and you get the information across...much better than long quotations. Proper citations in MLA style and a Works Cited page must accompany all papers.

By the senior level you should know when and how to cite but...it you are still not sure, there are very good educational sites listed at Citing Sources.

Evaluating web sites is basically the same as evaluating any information, but there are a few things additional things to watch out for.

Quality Web Sources GUIDE

If you need to collect statistical information to argue a point, see this GUIDE that will refer you to quality web sources with reliable data.

Specifically, the Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.

Need help signing up or using it? Visit the Grammarly@EDU Guide.

Borrowing from Other Libraries

Accessing Other Libraries

There are many other libraries in the greater Los Angeles area that the Otis Community may find useful. 

We encourage you to participate in your local public library systems, including but not limited to LAPL (the Westchester branch is across the street from our campus, at Lincoln Blvd. and Manchester Ave.), Santa Monica Public Libraries, Beverly Hills Public Library, Cerritos Library, LA County Libraries, etc.

Most museum and academic libraries have programs welcoming visiting researchers, such as the Getty Research Institute, LACMA, LMU's Hannon Library, and UCLA's Arts Library. You will typically have to schedule an appointment in advance.

If you are curious whether a specific item you are looking for is held at another library, try searching in WorldCat. This will look through the collections of its member libraries; at this time, our library does not participate.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Unfortunately, we do not participate in any Interlibrary Loan program.

Even still, we are happy to assist students and faculty in finding the resources they need. Students and faculty are encouraged to suggest that we purchase any needed/desired books and other materials.

If you are outside the Otis campus community and interested in borrowing an item from our collection, please contact us at library@otis.edu.

SCELC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing

This service is only available to current Otis faculty. To take part, you must:

• Make sure that the SCELC institution participates in this service. Review the list of participating institutions.
• Consult the other library's policies and procedures. These should be available on their website.
• Check that the item(s) you want to borrow is available.
• Request a signed authorization form from us at library@otis.edu.
• Make sure to return any materials you have borrowed on time. If you incur any unpaid fees or fines that are billed to the Millard Sheets Library, we may add those charges to your Otis account and/or limit borrowing privileges.

For SCELC faculty from participating institutions:

• Bring a signed authorization form from your home institution.
• Fill out the Otis Library Usage Agreement.
• Email library@otis.edu to schedule an appointment.
• You may borrow up to 3 items at a time.