Skip to Main Content

FYS 1053: Orientation to Media Genres

Resources and information relevant to the topics discussed in FYS 1053.

What is OneSearch?

The OneSearch search bar on the library home page. The following words are entered as a search query: Water pollution.

 

At the top of the library's homepage, you will find the search bar. The OneSearch tab is the default search selection. Using OneSearch, you can search all books, articles, and other media you can access through the Otterbein Library and through OhioLink (for more, see OhioLink tab).

To use OneSearch, simply enter a search term in the search bar and click "Search."

 

A snapshot of the first two search results in a OneSearch keyword search for "Water Pollution." The first is an electronic government document, and the second is a physical copy of a book available through OhioLINK.

 

The OneSearch results will include many different types of media, including electronic resources like encyclopedias and journal articles as well as books that can be found in the Otterbein Main Collection. Click on an item's title to see more information and to access the content of online resources. If the item is available through a partner OhioLink library, you can follow the request link.

 

The OneSearch bar is shown. To the right, the dropdown menu is selected to show all three search options: Keyword, Title, and Author.

 

You can perform OneSearch searches by keyword, title, and author. If you want information on a particular topic, do a keyword search. Search by author if you want works by a specific author, or search by title if you know the title of the resource you're looking for.

Popular & Scholarly Articles

Researchers need to know the difference between popular materials and scholarly materials--and when it's appropriate to use one or the other. 

Scholarly Articles Popular Articles

  • Authors are authorities in their fields, often affiliated with a college or university. Sources are cited in endnotes, footnotes, or bibliographies
  • Publications have little or no advertising (other than "ads" for professional conferences or organizations)
  • Articles must go through a peer-review process (in which an expert or several experts in the field review the work for accuracy)
  • Illustrations often take the form of charts and graphs with few, if any, glossy pictures
  • Articles use subject-specific vocabulary
  • Articles report on original research or experimentation--in other words, first-hand    experience with the material discussed (primary source)
  • Authors are magazine staff members or freelance writers whose credentials aren't always included
  • Sources are often mentioned, but bibliographies aren't usually provided
  • Publications contain paid advertisements
  • Articles are not typically peer reviewed
  • Illustrations are numerous and colorful
  • Language is simple; no specialized knowledge of jargon is needed
  • Articles are short and meant to inform and entertain
  • Articles usually report on information second- or third-hand (secondary or tertiary sources)

  Researching a late-breaking news story, a cutting-edge new band, or brand-new technology will often require using more popular resources because academic resources traditionally take longer to prepare for publication than popular magazines or websites do. If your research requires the use of popular resources, be sure to check them for accuracy and objectivity before you use them for your research.

Search These Databases For More!

Tip!

When you are looking for a particular journal or magazine, always check the Otterbein A-Z List to see if we have it. 

If we don't have the journal you need, remember that you can always do Interlibrary Loan to get the article.

Use the A-Z Journal List!

When you are looking for a particular journal or magazine, always check the Otterbein A-Z list to see if we have it. 

If we don't have the journal you need, remember that you can always do Interlibrary Loan to get the article.

Tags: jones