Ask a Librarian

We have a few different ways to request research help.

• Library Chat: Look for the ‘Ask a Librarian’ icon on our library page in myCharger or in our library guides for instant chat help.
• Research Appointments: You can set-up an appointment with a Librarian or a Student

Peer-2-Peer Researcher. Appointments are available in person or through Zoom.

• E-mail: Send us your question(s) in an email message to LibraryHelp@newhaven.edu.
• Call us at (203) 932-7189.
• You can also stop by the Library Service Desk any time!
• For further details about our reference services, please visit our Contact Us page found

here, https://mycharger.newhaven.edu/web/mycharger/ask-a-librarian or by using the

QR code

Yes, you will need to download the printer driver from the IT Student Support Portal on myCharger. You can access the drivers HERE. Or, use the QR code below.

The library recommends the following websites for APA style citations:

• Purdue OWL - APA Style Guide, 7th ed.
• American Psychological Association - Slideshow
• APA Sample Paper

1) From the Library tab in MyCharger, click on the link for Journals & Newspapers.

•     The Journals & Newspapers page contains information about the availability of every newspaper, scholarly journal, and magazine available in the library collection.

2) Type in the title of the Newspaper/Magazine, and if the library subscribes to that newspaper, it will appear along with the access point, which is typically a library database.

•     Pay attention to the dates next to each database to make sure the issue/volume/date is available.

3) Click on the access point to access the database containing newspapers.

*Please note: The Journals & Newspapers page will not search across numerous newspapers magazines or journals based on keywords. Library databases search across publications based on keywords

If the library does not have the material you would like or need for your research, you can request that resource through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). ILL is a service where our Library will try to get the material you need from another library.

To request an ILL:

• Go to the Library tab in MyCharger and click on the link for Interlibrary Loan. You can

also scan the QR code to the right.

• Then select either a Book Request or an Article Request.
• Please note, a typical request can take between 1 -14 business days, with journal

articles typically arriving much quicker.

• For further help or questions with Interlibrary Loans, please contact our ILL team by

email, ill@newhaven.edu or call 203-932-7194.

A library database is a subscription-based, searchable electronic collection of resources.

• A database may contain scholarly journals, newspapers, trade journals, magazine, newspapers, e-books, or more.
• There are over 110 different databases in our collection and each one is different and contains different resources.

There are:

• Subject Specific Databases that specific to one subject area, such as Criminal Justice Abstracts covering criminal justice topics.
• Multidisciplinary Databases cover a wide range or topics. A database like JSTOR covers subjects from Art to Zoology, and basically everything in between.

A complete listing of databases with descriptions can be found in the Annotated A-Z Database List.

There are many ways that you can broaden or narrow down your search! Below are some of the ways:

1. Use an advanced search: Using the advanced search section allows you to separate the topics and ideas that you are searching for, which can lead to a more narrowed search.
   • Example: If you are researching housing discrimination for a specific population, searching for housing discrimination in the basic search bar may lead to many results. An advanced search would allow you to search for "housing discrimination" in one line and "African American OR Black OR minorit*" in another line. This would lead you to more topic specific sources. 
2. Using quotation marks: Using quotations marks will make sure that the phrase you are searching is searched as a phrase rather than individual words.
   • Example: Searching for housing discrimination will search housing and discrimination as two separate words, but searching for "housing discrimination" will search for the phrase as one thing.
3. Using conjunction words: Using conjuction words such as AND or OR can broaden you search by using words that are similar to what you are looking for.
   • Example: When searching for "perception" you might want to search for "perception OR attitude OR opinion OR perspective."
4. Using an astrix: Using an astrix allows you to search for a word and all of its different possible endings.
   • ​Example: Rather than searching for "LGBTQ," you could search for "LGB*." This would then add LGBTQIA, LGBT+, LGBT, and more to your list of search items without you actually needing to type them in.
5. Select a specific field in the search: Selecting a specific field can help if you have a more specific idea of what you are looking for.
   • Example: One field option is "AU Author." If you are looking for articles written by a specific author, using this field specifier would filter articles and provide you with what you are looking for. 

The Peterson library has several e-book databases available in the collection. From the Library tab in MyCharger:

1. Click on the link for Databases
2. Click on the Subject Listing of Databases
3. In the gray bar, click on the pull down menu that says, All Subjects. Select e-books.

All of our e-book databases can be accessed through this page.

Click here for a complete listing of e-book databases available.

Science Direct is a database containing peer-reviewed journal articles covering the sciences, however, many of articles are not available to read immediately.

To access the full-text of the article found in ScienceDirect:

1. When searching ScienceDirect, click on the title of the article.

2. Click on Get Access.

3. Click on Request Document.

4. Fill out your name, affiliation, and your university email. 

The full-text article will be sent to you within 48 hours, although it typicaly arrives much sooner.

• Peer reviewed journal articles are original research, theoretical, or experimental analysis of a topic.
• Peer reviewed journals contribute to the scholarly conversation on that topic.
• These articles are written by subject experts, typically scholars with advanced degrees such as a PhD, and are read by other experts and students.
• A journal is considered to be peer reviewed if its articles go through a rigorous editorial process that involves review and approval by three of the author's peers.
  • These peers are people who are experts in the same subject area and are recognized leaders in that field who have been asked to sit on the publication's editorial board.
  • The peer review process for journal articles ensures the quality of published scholarship.
  • During the review process, any identifying information about the author is removed (name, institution, etc.) to elimate bias or favoritism.
• After the article has been reviewed, it may be accepted, sent back for further editing, or rejected. 
  • It is extremely difficult to be published in a peer-reviewed journal
• Only scholarly journals can be peer reviewed. All peer reviewed journals are scholarly, but not all scholarly journals are peer reviewed.
  •  Newspapers, magazines, trade journals, and websites are not peer reviewed publications.
• Not every article published in a peer reviewed journal is a research article. These journals also may contain book reviews and other content that are not peer reviewed research articles.

There are over 100 different databases in our collection and each is different. Every database covers a different subject area and contains different resources.

To locate relevant databases to your topic:

1. From the Library tab in MyCharger, click on the link for Databases
2. Select the Subject Listing. This breaks down all the databases based on the content of the material found inside.
3. On the left side, there is a pull-down menu that says All Subjects. Select the subject of the topic you are researching.
4. A full listing of all the databases on your subject will be listed.

A ful listing of databases is available at the A-Z Databases.

The search box is called Quick Search. Quick Search provides the University of New Haven community the ability to search across the majority of the library resources, all with one search box.

This includes but is not limited to:

• journals 
• books 
• e-books 
• databases
• government documents
• course reserves

Quick Search is a discovery service, meaning it should be used to discover information on a topic. Use Quick Search when you're beginning your research and want a wide range of resources, or when you want to narrow down or broaden your topic. You can also use to to locate a specifc book, journal, article, etc if you know the title or the author.

Quick Search should not replace your advanced research on/for a topic. For in-depth research, use the subject specific library databases.

Yes. There are library databases that contain only newspapers. To locate newspaper databases:

1. From the Library tab in MyCharger, click on the link for Databases
2. Select the Subject Listing of Databases.
3. From the pull down menu on the left side that says, All Subjects, select News & Newspapers.

There are three main types of sources: primary, secondary, and tertiary

• Primary sources are original materials created or produced during the time under study. 

• They present original thinking, report a discovery, or share new information. 

• These materials have not been interpreted, filtered, or evaluated. 

• Primary sources enable the reader to make their own interpretations about the event, without having to rely on what has already been written on the topic.

• A primary source reflects an individual viewpoint from a participant or observer. 

• Original research is created using primary resources.

Examples of Primary Sources include: Studies, Survey Results, Statistics, Speeches, Interviews, Letters, Official Records of Organizations or Government Agencies, and Photographs.

A secondary source analyzes, evaluates, and interprets one or more primary sources. 

• Many secondary sources rely on other secondary sources for information.
• They are accounts written after the event with the benefit of hindsight and often draw a conclusion.

Examples of secondary sources include: Journal Articles that Interpret or Review other Works, Book Reviews, Books (not: Fiction or Autobiographies), Newspaper Articles (not first hand accounts), Magazine Articles, Criticisms, and Histories.

Keep in mind:

• Journal articles that interpret or review a topic or event are secondary sources.

• If a journal article contains experimental research or data sets, the article would be considered a primary source. 

• Newspaper or Magazine articles can also be primary or secondary sources. 

A tertiary source typically provides an overview on a specific topic and may contain both primary and secondary sources.

•     Usually a collection of secondary and primary sources that are presented as factual information with basic terminology.

•     Compiles general common knowledge into one source, while providing key terms, phrases, and/or additional key (seminal) sources.

•     Tertiary sources are not usually credited to one author.

•     The information is not analyzed or interpreted. 

•     Tertiary sources are generally not acceptable for academic research, but are a great place to learn about your topic and get information.

•     Examples of tertiary resources: encyclopedias, text books, Wikipedia, and book reviews.

•     If the newspaper article describes a persons first hand account of an event, the article would be considered primary. 

•     If the writer of the article includes additional background information on the topic and interprets an event, then the article is a secondary source.

You can add funds to your University ID by downloading the Transact eAccounts app or online via eCard, https://newhaven-sp.transactcampus.com/eaccounts/AnonymousHome.aspx.

Black and white printouts are $0.08 per single-side and $0.12 for double-sided.

Color printouts are $0.50 per single-side and $0.75 cents for double-sided.

Log into any of our computers (Mac or Dell) with the same username (username does not include @unh.newhaven.edu) and password you use for myCharger.