Getting Started: Research for Writing Intensive Courses
This guide is meant to help students with the following requirements in writing intensive courses. Students will:
- Critically evaluate sources for bias and/or misrepresentation
- Use research databases and online search techniques to identify and select sources to support writing in academic and professional rhetorical situations
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For Students: Make a research appointment with a librarian
Make a research appointment at either campus or online to work one on one with a librarian on your specific research question. -
For faculty: Request a research class taught by a librarian
We recommend all writing-intensive courses schedule a library class. You will share your assignment and goals with a faculty librarian who will develop a class session and/or course research guide specific to the needs in your class.
Keep in mind, that not all students in your classes have had a library class prior to this course.
Did you know?
A.I. and Research
Research generated by A.I. includes completely fake resources. While it sometimes also includes accurate quotes, chances are, it uses these same quotes each time it generates an essay using that particular prompt. Check out the link below which explains A.I. "hallucinations."
Comparing Google Search Results with the Library
Google collects TONS of data about you and uses this information when it brings up your search results. See the link below for more information.
Library catalogs and databases locate search results based on standardized subject terms and other data. While subject terms are not neutral, as they are informed by our culture, the databases are not collecting your data.
Google Scholar does NOT have access to all the same data, journals, documents, and articles available in the library databases.
While it can be a useful place to search, there are thousands of items it will not locate. Additionally, if you find an article online that asks you to pay for it, please contact the library. We will get you the exact same article for free.
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White House Health Report Included Fake CitationsAll Oakton Community members have access to the NY Times. This article explains how a government report that used A.I. Contained fake resources.
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All the data Google’s apps collect about you and how to stop itThis article from WIRED Magazine describes the various data collected by Google.
Burgess, Matt. “All the Data Google’s Apps Collect about You and How to Stop It.” Wired. www.wired.com, https://www.wired.com/story/google-app-gmail-chrome-data/. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025. -
What Are AI Hallucinations and Why Do They Happen?by Muhammad Tuhin for Science Today, April 24, 2025
Find Background information
Credo Reference (Library database)
Click the link below to search the database
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Credo Reference - All Subjects Search This link opens in a new windowContains dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, quotations and atlases, plus a wide range of subject-specific titles.
How to search Credo Reference
Watch the video below to learn about Credo Reference and how to use the database. Video time is 2:48 and includes closed captions.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Library Database)
Click the link below to access the database, Opposing Viewpoints, and begin searching.
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Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new windowDatabase of contemporary social issues with content structured to promote critical-thinking skills. It contains reference book titles, pro and con viewpoint articles, and a variety of periodicals, podcasts, reviewed Web links, images, statistical tables, charts, and graphs.
How to use Opposing Viewpoints in context
Use the guide linked below to learn about Opposing Viewpoints in Context and how to use the database.
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How to use Opposing Viewpoints in ContextOakton College Library's guide for using Opposing Viewpoints in Context. It includes an explanation of the material you can find, how to search, save, and more.
Find Academic Articles
Academic Search Ultimate (Library Database)
Access the database by clicking the link below.
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Academic Search Ultimate - EBSCO This link opens in a new window
Provides a comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with around 10,000 full-text periodicals - of which more than 9,000 are peer-reviewed journals.
How to use Academic Search Ultimate.
The guide below will provide you with instructions for using the database.
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How to use Academic Search UltimateOakton Library's guide for using Academic Search Ultimate. This resource takes you through searching, narrowing your results, saving records, and more. It includes screenshots, narrative, and a video.
JSTOR (Library Database)
To access JSTOR, click the link below.
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JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Full text multi-disciplinary database of journal articles, books, images, and primary sources. Some subject areas include art, business, economics, history, humanities, language and literature, law, medicine, allied health, science, and social sciences.
How to use JSTOR.
The link below provides instructions for using the database.
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Searching JSTORThis guide provides quick tips for searching and understanding search results.