Skip to Main Content

Welcome to the LCU Library

LCU.edu | Chaplink
LCU Library Logo

History & Political Science

Searching the Catalog

To help you with your search, consider these search options listed in the drop-down menu:

  • Author. Enter author's name: last name, first name. Ex. Patterson, James

  • Title. Select this option when you have the title. Ex. 7 habits of highly effective people

  • Subject. Enter one or two words that describes your topic. Ex. gun control or euthanasia

  • Periodical Title.  Click here to find an article in a journal or periodical.

Recommended Databases

Catalogs for Local Libraries

You can view the following catalogs for the following local libraries:

Where to Find Print Journals

Current Issues

  • Journals bookshelf, 1st floor
  • Organized alphabetically

Back Issues

  • Stacks, 4th floor
  • Organized alphabetically  

Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals

Evaluating Websites

Search engines like Google or Bing find websites of all levels of quality and value.

These Web sites were chosen by your librarian based on the following standards. Keep these things in mind when deciding if a website is reliable and appropriate for your research.

  • author has credibility
  • objective and unbiased
  • accurate
  • recently updated
  • educational purpose

Always check with your instructor to find out if you can use free (non-Library) websites for your assignments.

Remember, if looking for journal articles, library databases are the most efficient tool for searching.

Recommended Websites

The Research Process

Choose a topic, locate background information, design your research strategy, gather sources, evaluate your sources, assess and revise as needed.

  1. Choose your topic & isolate potential keywords. Use synonyms.
  2. Use your textbook & reference sources.
  3. Determine what types of sources are needed & begin searching.
  4. Evaluate the quality, quantity & relevance of your sources.
  5. Be sure to cite any ideas you have used that are not your own.
  6. Assess your results & refine as needed.