St. David CSS Learning Commons: Religion

1) Searching for Background Information

• Britannica School 
• GALE eBooks 

2) Search GALE Databases For Your Topic

• GALE Power Search  allows you to search several databases at once. Select the database(s) you want from the list and enter your search term. For example homelessness. When you start entering homeless the dropdown list will suggest search terms such as homeless people, homeless shelter, homeless youth... Select from one these search terms or continuing enter your search term such as homelessness.
  • Results will include Academic Journals, News, Images, Videos and more
    • To narrow results select Academic Journals
      • Narrow your results further using FILTER YOUR RESULTS and selecting 
        • Subjects - list subjects and how many articles are available on that subject
        • Document Type - types of documents on the subject Article, Overview or Biography...
        • Publication Date - enter a date range or select Past Year
  • Select an article to read and be sure to use
    • GET LINK and Copy to save the link for your search results or articles. Do not use the URL at the top of the webpage
    • CITE your resources by clicking on Cite  and selecting Citation Tools or Citation Style such as  MLA, APA
    • Highlighting and add notes and save your notes before you close your browser

• Topic Finder offers a Visualization of your results. 
  • On the Results page, click on Start the Topic Finder and your results will display in Tiles  or a Wheel 
    • Select a tile or a wedge to narrow your topic and display your new results.
• GALE Global Issues  or Opposing Viewpoints 
  • Select from the suggested Issues of Interest, Browse Issues or click on Browse All for a full list of Issues
  • Results will include quick facts and resources including Reference, Academic Journals, Biographies, Primary Sources, Websites, Videos, Audio, Images ... and Related Topics which will help expand your search.

3) Searching for Books in the St. David PAC (Public Access Catalogue) 

• Enter your search term for example Pollution
• Use the drop down menus to narrow your search by clicking on 
  • Format --> Book
  • Collection -->Nonfiction
  • Look for books that are Available (Checked In)
  • Record the call number(s), for example the book Science and Sustainable Water Shelf Location 628.1 KAL 
    • nonfiction stacks (tall nonfiction shelves)
    • 620 engineering section - look on the ends of the shelves for number ranges

Topics For This Assignment

• Prejudice
• Racism
• Pollution
  • Air Pollution
  • Water Pollution
• Technology addiction
• Social Media
• Slavery
• Animal cruelty
• Homelessness
• Gun violence
• Drug addiction
• Climate change
• Covid 19
• Bullying
• Exploitation of natural resources
• Child labor (labour)

Search Your Topic

Search in the Databases and narrow results by selecting Subject and Document Type under Filter Your Results on the Results page (e.g. Topic Overview or Biography). Use the citation tools included in each database to copy/paste the citation information to your reference page. Type TOPIC FINDER to discover topics and results related to your search visualized as Tiles or in a Wheel then narrow your results by clicking on the tile or wedge of the wheel.

Search for Books in the St. David PAC (Public Access Catalogue). Use the drop down menus to narrow your search by clicking on Format and selecting Book and by clicking on Collection to select Nonfiction.

A cart of books on the topics listed for the ISU essay will be available for use in the library by all three classes. Ask the librarian for help finding a book and to place a Hold on a book which you can sign out later in the semester when all the classes have been to the library. 

Chronological order of specific religions in Dewey Decimal numbers at OCLC.org.