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Welcome to the PHYS 499 course guide. This guide covers resources available to you for researching information that will help you complete your course projects. Some tabs also give some tips for searching library databases, and resources for specific projects.
Prior to our in-class Library Research Session: complete the activities below so you will get the most out of the in-class activities.
Need help figuring out what you're looking for, coming up with a research strategy, knowing which database to search, or finding something you need? Ask me, Tracy Bicknell-Holmes, your librarian!
I know you're very busy! I'm available to meet evenings, weekends or early mornings if that works best for your schedule
What is EndNote and Why Should I Use It?
EndNote Online is citation management software that allows you to:
Once you have registered, set up EndNote Online, and become familiar with how it works, it can save you a lot of time and headache citing resources when you're writing, and creating a bibliography of sources or references in you papers.
There are several different free online citation managers. Each has features that differ and unique challenges in use, so if you don't like EndNote, try Zotero or Mendeley.
See how it works in the 7-minute video: EndNote Basics
NOTE Linux Operating Systems: There are currently no versions of EndNote that work with the Linux OS. If you are using a devise that runs on Linux, you'll need to use another citation manager like Zotero or Mendeley.
Register for EndNote Online
If you will be citing sources using a unique journal or professional association citation style, register for EndNote Online via the Web of Science (WOS) database. That way you will have access to all of the available citation styles
Step 1 : Register for Web of Science (WOS) (Already registered? Skip to Step 2)
EndNote Online is produced by the same vendor that creates and maintains WOS. Registering for EndNote Online from within WOS gives you access to more citation styles than registering for an EndNote Web account directly from the EndNote webpage.
If you haven't already registered (created an account) for WOS, you'll need to do so. Registering allows you to save searches and create alerts in WOS, and sign up for EndNote Online.
1. Go to the Library's Main Page (http://boisestate.edu/library/) click the Articles & Databases panel
2. Scroll down to Articles and Databases A to Z, and search for Web of Science
3. Click the link for the Web of Science database
NOTE: If off-campus, you will need to authenticate using your my.boisestate.edu username and password before you can get into WOS
4. Have an WOS account? Sign in. If not Register to use WOS - upper right corner
STEP 2 - Create an EndNote Online Account
1. Click the Products icon in the upper right corner of WOS
2. Select EndNote from the menu
3. Click the Register Button
4. Follow the instructions to create your free EndNote account
Use any email address you like, it needn't be your Boise State email address
After creating an account in EndNote Online, download the Cite While You Write plug-in so you can access EndNote from within Microsoft Word to insert citations into your Word documents as you write.
To download the Cite While You Write plug-in following these steps:
Using "Cite While You Write"
Cite While You Write, instantly inserts citations, and formats references and bibliographies automatically while you write your papers.
Cite While You Write is:
See how it works in the 7-minute video: EndNote Basics
You will first need to register for an Endnote account and login to access the Download tab. Once you install the Cite While You Write plug-in, it will appear when you open Microsoft Word.
To Access Cite While You Write in Endnote Web:
Getting Help - Tutorials and Resources
EndNote is a powerful citation tool, but it can be tricky to use. Contact Your Librarian (I'm on the first page page of this guide! left navigation) or these resources might help:
Get Organized
Before you start your research, spend some time preparing and getting organized:
Identify the parameters of the topic such as scope, depth, purpose:
Clearly Define your Topic: Make a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables of interest. Make sure to list synonyms and related terms. As you search and discover new terminology, added it to your list.
Take Good Notes as you Research. This will help you develop your literature review later, and will help you keep track of which sources relate to your research and how. You may want to make note of:
It can be helpful to Keep a search log. Think of this like a research notebook, but one that tracks your search strategy and results. Report the date, database, search string and filters, relevance of results and any other notes that might be useful if you get ideas later or can't remember what you found where.
Track your sources. Using citation manger software like EndNote Web, Zotero and Mendeley can help, and your notes can go right into the software with the citation attached.
Are you Off Campus? Log into my.boisestate.edu first
Many Library resources are paid for by the Library on your behalf, and come with strict licensing agreements. To use them, you will need to go through the Library's proxy server to authenticate you as a BSU affiliate. If you're using Google Scholar and have it set up to help you Find full text in the BSU Library's collection, you won't have access to the full text without authentication.
Log into myboiseState.edu before you start your research and single sign-on will take care of the authentication for you. By doing this you'll avoid the interruptions that come with authentication requests to put in your BSU user name and password to get to materials.
Set up Google Scholar, InterLibrary Loan and a Citation Manager
Before you start your research, take time to do the following if you haven't already done so:
All of these options are free, and will reduce the interruptions you face you do your research. You'll find resources in the pages of this guide to help you accomplish these things.