When Wikipedia Just Does Not Cut It...

By: Maureen Corbett

As college students, I’m sure all of you have had some kind of experience with a research paper. When the topic is related to something you are interested in, this paper can seem like a breeze. But if 17^th century pre-colonial artwork or the history of the Cambodian civil war isn’t your cup of tea, research assignments can be extremely difficult. It is hard to motivate yourself to spend extensive time researching a topic that you could care less about. This is where I would be tempted to just Google my topic, click on the first link that appeared, and have all my research come from a single source. However, I have to keep in mind that I am currently attending one of the top schools in the nation, which has countless resources available to me. These resources have the potential to make my research go much more smoothly, and it would be a shame to let them go to waste.

One of the best resources that Purdue has to offer is its online library services. By just going to http://www.lib.purdue.edu/, students can conduct all their research without ever leaving their apartment. The online library lets students do advanced searches through hundreds of different academic databases. There are a plethora of articles, catalogs, and eJournals that are bound to have the information you need for your assignment.  And if for some reason you cannot find a specific book or text that you need, the interlibrary loan system can rent the book from another university and have it ready for you in a matter of days. In addition to this, the library also has a live chat feature which allows students to directly message a Purdue librarian with specific questions. These people are very friendly and enjoy helping students, and they are very good about responding quickly to questions.

Some research assignments require students to discuss and analyze current events, which in this case might render library books useless. For projects such as these, I would recommend that students read the Exponent. This campus newspaper is a great starting place if you are interested in world events. And the good news is that the Exponent targets college-aged readers, so the articles are easy to read and usually pertain to many students’ interests. This can be a very accessible way to get the information you need to complete your paper.

Now imagine that you have completed the paper, but you are still unsure and have a few questions about your writing style. The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a great resource that can help students solve many problems. This website guides students through APA and MLA style, offers grammar and mechanics rules, and provides information about how students can avoid plagiarism. You can also make appointments for tutoring or editing help at one of the several Writing Lab locations on campus. Here students are able to sit down with tutors that can help assist them with their writing. With all these different kinds of resources available at Purdue, there is no question that your next research assignment should be an easy A!