Guide
Home >> Last minute strategies
What
do you do when you need information at the last minute?
Don't
panic! The
steps listed in the Information
Navigator are still valid for you to take to find articles,
books, etc. But there are a couple of strategies that can help
you get your hands on reliable information right from your computer.
- Search databases that contain full-text articles or e-books.
The MIT Libraries provide 24/7 access [even from off-campus] to many article databases, e-journals and e-books. In
Vera, browse databases by subject area. Read the Descriptions
to find out if the database includes full text. Check the More column for the red S button, which indicates an SFX-enabled database.
If you really need information quickly, try these for starters:
| ProQuest General Reference |
Multidisciplinary database; contains many full text articles from both popular magazines and academic-level journals. |
| Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe |
Full text of regional, national and international newspapers. Includes today's news. |
| Factiva |
A database of 8,000 news and business publications (most in full text), and company and industry information. |
| E-books |
A list of MIT Libraries' e-book packages. |
| Google Scholar |
A database of scholarly literature in its Beta version.
Not all results found in Google Scholar will be accessible
full text at MIT. See Making Google Scholar Work for You for more information. |
- Find good web sites for information on your topic.
Need a quick fact, statistic, quotation, definition, style manual, etc? Try our virtual reference collection. It is full of reliable sources of definitions, facts, biographical information, geographical sources and a lot more.
Instead of spending hours in a fruitless search, contact a librarian to get ideas of where to look for specific information. We're here to help!
Subject
experts at the Libraries look for great information sources
every day. They have created lists of high-quality links in many
different subject areas and for many different types of publications.
Come in to one of the MIT Libraries [see a map for locations] during open hours to speak with a library staff member. Or call our general help line, x4-2ASK [Mon-Fri 9am-5pm].
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