How and Where Can I Find the Best Sources Quickly

Key Takeaways:

• Use LibGuides written by librarians for fast access to credible and relevant websites.
• Use Google search operators for better search results. 
• Connect Google Scholar to the library's collections so you don't have to pay for articles you find. 

Here are some ways that can help ensure you are finding the best online materials as quickly as possible.  

Use Expert Curated LibGuides

The fastest and easiest way to find the best resources online is to look and see if a librarian already did your work for you. Search your topic and keyword together with the term “libguide” to find a guide to resources about your topic.

Example Search:

public health libguide

These resources have been evaluated and  assembled by a subject librarian and should include the most authoritative resources in your field--that is the ones you should be citing.

Here is a list of research guides, or LibGuides, created for CSUN students and faculty by your librarians. Try the research guide linked from the image below for a list of valuable online resources according to discipline. 

Search Google Smarter

No one has time to look past the first couple of pages of results. Make your top results the best using these tricks in the table below.

Search for an exact phrase	""	"digital divide"
Exclude works from search	-	Matadors -bullfights
Search for a specific site	site:	cost of attendance site:csun.edu

Librarian’s favorite tip: limit to government or university websites by using the limiters site:.gov or site:.edu respectively. These types of website make a concerted effort to provide you with credible information.

Example Search:

insurance coverage statistics site:.gov

You can also filter your search results by the date it was published. 

Pros/Cons of Google Scholar

Pros	Cons
It's Google.	Most articles are not free.
It has academic articles.	It also includes student papers that are not authoritative sources.
It includes case law and legislative materials.	You will never go past the first couple pages which might not be the best articles. Library databases have more advanced search options.

 

If you find an article on Google scholar that was published in a scholarly journal (verify using Ulrichsweb), there are two ways to get the article from CSUN library so you don’t have to pay.

• Connect Google scholar to the library’s collections Links to an external site. through the advanced setting options. Then you can access the article through the Full Text at CSUN link.

 

• Copy and paste the title of the article in OneSearch Links to an external site. the search engine on the library homepage and access it that way. If we don't have the article you can request it through interlibrary loan.