Searching for Articles

Beginning Research
Start by going to the Library Homepage:
https://www.pvamu.edu/library/
Login If Off Campus/Remote
Many ways to information – start with
Databases Use Drop Down Menu

*use drop down menu to

choose subject
Search Options: Basic vs. Advanced
 Key Features of a Database

 Search bar(s) near the top –

typically can add or remove
search fields

 Results window in the center

 Limiters on the Left of the

page
- give you the ability to limit
results and improve accuracy

 Can Save, Export, Email

search results
 Search Strategy
There is no perfect search strategy and every researcher will adapt processes
that will work best for themselves.
Most strategies will encompass the ABCs:

• Analyzing - Analyze and plan the search question and break it into key
concepts/terms.

• Brainstorming - Brainstorm and expand these key terms for other relevant
subjects/terms.

• Combining - Combine key terms into a refined search string using Boolean
logic. From UCL Library Libguide: https://libguides.ioe.ac.uk/searching/basics
From UCL Library Libguides: https://libguides.ioe.ac.uk/searching/basics
 Refine Search with Boolean Operators
• Using And, Or, Not
Article Result with Full-Text

*
 Article Result without Full Text

You can always request

an article through
Interlibrary Loan.
Subject
&
Keywords
supplied
*remember to copy the
basic information about
the article to request it
through ILL
Save Search Results

Click on the folder to see saved

results, edit results list, and view
saved search terms.
Save & Export Results
APA 7 edition
th

Style Guide
for Students

Elizabeth Jean Brumfield

Distance Services Librarian
Why Cite Resources
 Using a style guide helps writers present their ideas in a clear,
concise and organized manner.
 Better able to credit sources, present tables and figures
consistently, and use correct grammar and sentence structure.
 When styles are used, ideas flow logically, papers are organized
predictably and consistently.
 Requirement of publishers, grant funders, governmental
agencies
 When to Cite
 Ideas, theories, or research that directly influenced your
work.
 Key background information, support or dispute your
theory, or offer critical definitions or data.
 Document all facts and figures that are not common
knowledge.
 For class assignments, it is common to use 1 or 2 of most
representative sources for each key point.
 Literature reviews include more exhaustive lists of
citation.
Library Resources

 APA Style Guide 7th Edition--Frequently Asked Question and

Updates
https://pvamu.libguides.com/c.php?g=984352

John B. Coleman Library Research Instruction Guide

https://pvamu.instructure.com/courses/6311
Citing Sources

InText
Reference List
APA uses a list of references instead of a bibliography. The
requirements of a reference list are that all references
cited in the text of a paper must be listed alphabetically by
first author's last name in the list of references and that all
references listed must be cited within the text.
Reference List
A reference list entry generally has four elements:
the author, date, title, and source. Each element
answers a question:

 author: Who is responsible for this work?

 date: When was this work published?
 title: What is this work called?
 source: Where can I retrieve this work?
Two types of in Text citations
Parenthetical & Narrative Citations (In
sentence)
 Parentheticalcitations—The author name and
publication date appear in parentheses

 Narrativecitation—Information is incorporated
into the text as part of the sentence
 Text citation (paraphrased):
7th Edition
McPherson (2007) raised issues
of motivation in reading.

Text citation with direct quote:

McPherson (2007) coined the phrase “goblet of

motivation” (p. 71).

Reference citation -- used in reference list:

McPherson, K. (2007). Harry Potter and the goblet of

motivation. Teacher Librarian, 34(4), 71.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.76.4.482
Changed in 7th Edition
 The in-text citation for works with three or more
authors is now shortened right from the first citation.
You only include the first author’s name and “et al.”.

 Surnames and initials for up to 20 authors (instead of

7) should be provided in the reference list.

 DOIs are formatted as urls (https://doi.org/xxx). The

label “DOI:” is no longer necessary.
Example of a DOI
 DOIs
found
in the
abstract
 Location and Publisher Info
6th Ed
 Use state abbreviations:  Leave off superfluous terms:
FL, TX, NY, CA, DC  Publishers
 Co. or Company
 All cities now include  Inc.
state abbreviation:  Retain the words:
 Baltimore, MD  Books
 Boston, MA  Press
 Chicago, IL
 Los Angeles, CA  For example:
 New York, NY Erlbaum, John Wiley,
 Philadelphia, PA University of Toronto Press,
 San Francisco, CA Penguin Books
See APA (6th ed.), p. 187
 Location and Publisher Info
7th Ed
 Use state abbreviations:
FL, TX, NY, CA, DC
 All cities now include
state abbreviation:
 Baltimore, MD
 Boston, MA
 Chicago, IL
 Los Angeles, CA
 New York, NY
 Philadelphia, PA
 San Francisco, CA
 Leave off superfluous terms:
 Publishers
 Co. or Company
 Inc.
 Retain the words:
 Books
 Press
 For example:
Erlbaum, John Wiley,
University of Toronto Press,
Penguin Books
Changed in 7th Edition

 The publisher location is no longer included in the

reference. Instead of “New York, NY: McGraw-Hill”
it’s just “McGraw-Hill.”

Example: Burgess, R. (2019). Rethinking global

health: Frameworks of power. McGraw-Hill
 Changes in 7th Ed.
Inclusive language (Ch. 5)
 The singular “they” or “their” is endorsed as a gender-neutral pronoun.
 Descriptive phrases such as “people living in poverty” are preferred over
adjectives as nouns to label people (e.g., “the poor”).
 Race & ethnicity should be specific—African American should not be used
as an umbrella terms for all people of African descent (e.g. Kenyan,
Cuban, Jamaican in these cases use the term “Black” or the ethnicity
 Instead of broad categories (e.g., over 65 years old), you should use
exact age ranges (e.g., 65-75) that are more relevant and specific.
Changes in APA 7th Ed.
Paper Format
 Running Head is omitted in student papers.
 Running Head on the title page no longer uses the words
“Running Head”

6th Ed. Running head: THE EFFECT OF GOOGLE ON THE

INTERNET
7TH Ed. THE EFFECT OF GOOGLE ON THE INTERNET
Social Media Citations
 Blog post
Brumfield, E. (2019, September 15) Science is great. Sci-
Ed.
https://blogs.plos.org/scied/2019/09/15/science-is-great
 Tweet
Trump, D. [@DonaldJTrump]. (2019, June 21) I am crazy.
[Tweet]. Twitter. Retrieved January 20, 2020, from
https://twitter.com/DonaldjTrump/ststus/10099518928
 Facebook
Gainman, N. (2018, March 22). Hello all. [Image attached]
[Status update.] Facebook. http://bit.ly/2JQX
Citations for Business Resources
For more information please check out
the libguide
 APA Style Guide 7th Edition--Frequently Asked Question and
Updates
https://pvamu.libguides.com/c.php?g=984352

John B. Coleman Library Research Instruction Guide

https://pvamu.instructure.com/courses/6311