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Resources for Urban Faculty: Home

Brush up on simple and advanced searching techniques for finding books, articles, and more in the library. Also learn about tools that will help you master library resources as well as hone hardcore googling skills.

Tips!

The library is here to support you and your class!

Email us or stop by the library to talk about:

  • Finding resources to support curriculum
  • Finding articles or publications in our databases
  • Coming up with amazing assessments for your course!
  • Buying books for the library
  • What you should read next
  • Teaching your students specific research skills!
  • and more!!!

Urban Resources

ebooks and Textbooks

While the library doesn't manage student textbook ordering, we try to keep a copy of widely used text in the library in case a student forgets their copy or hasn't received it yet.

We also have ebooks and e-audiobooks from our ebook vender, Overdrive. Overdrive also has an option to have classroom sets of ebooks. Please email the librarian if you're interested in this option. Not all books are available as ebooks.

Advanced Searcing

Google can offer you, the researcher, a lot more than a simple results list based on a keyword search.

The basic Google search assumes AND between each word.

  • For example, MDMA ecstasy will find sites with both words.  Use OR if you want either of two terms e.g., MDMA OR ecstasy.
  • Use quotes to search words as a phrase, e.g., "ecstasy effects"
  • Use minus sign to eliminate undesirable words, e.g., MDMA -ecstasy

Use site to find certain types of sites, e.g., site: gov or site: edu

Use filetype to find specific formats, e.g., filtetype: pdf or filetype: doc

Use intitle to find sites where words are in title of the page, e.g., intitle: google search tips
This may help you find more relevant results

Use the advanced search to narrow your results using the above tips and more and get better results!

How to do it: click on the gear on the right side of the results page.

Outside Urban

CRAAP

"Every man should have a built-in automatic crap detector operating inside him." -Ernest Hemingway

Use CRAAP detection to evaluate sources

  • Currency: When was it written?
  • Relevance: Does it answer questions you need answered?
  • Authority: Is the author or creator an expert in the field? Is there an author listed?
  • Accuracy: Is it accurate? Do the authors cite their sources?
  • Purpose: What is the purpose of the site?

Click here for more on CRAAP