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Earth 142: From Stars to Stones

Covers: differences between refereed, scientific literature and other information sources; the process of searching for scientific, scholarly literature; the value of academic integrity and tools to avoid unintended plagiarism.

Elements of an Article Citation

Author

Article Title 

Source Title (Publication Title)

Volume Number

Issue Number

Page Numbers

Date

Sometimes, a URL or a DOI

Where to find Citations

Citations (also called references) may be found in databases, at the end of an article in the reference list, and in bibliographies (sometimes included in books and encyclopedias, sometimes available as a stand-alone publication).

Research Article Basics

After today's class, you should know how to:

1.Understand the difference between popular and scholarly resources

2. Develop search terms for a database search query

3. Search various databases (indexes) for articles

4. Find an article's full text from a citation

5. Find an article's full text from a topic search

6. Understand how to follow scholarly ideas backwards by tracing references and forwards by tracing citations

Databases

More Starting Points

Finding Articles Exercises

1.  Search for: Zhang Y, Ni H, Chen Y (2010) Diffusion data in silicate melts.  Rev. Mineral. Geochem., 72, 311-408. 

Try searching in Google Scholar, GeoRef, and Web of Science. 

2.  Search for an article co-written by Becky Lange in 2008 in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 

Try searching in Google Scholar, GeoRef, and Web of Science. 

3. Browse for publications produced within the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan since 2012

Try searching in Google Scholar, GeoRef, and Web of Science. 

4. Report out about any features or tools of any of the databases that made your searching easier.

Interlibrary Loan

The library subscribes to thousands of scholarly and popular journals, but you may come across an article or book that the library doesn't own.

When this happens, use Interlibrary Loan to request a copy of your needed article or book for free.