How can I complete my research paper from home/offsite?
Answer
After you have narrowed down your research topic, visit the library website at: https://library.hccc.edu/research. You'll notice several options to explore.
Next, click on the "Research Guides" link. There are over 90 guides developed by your librarians here at HCCC, that cover every area of study at the school.
Choose one of the guides that aligns most closely with your research topic. Each guide has information about what the library has to offer.
When you arrive at the guide page, click on buttons that say eBooks, Journals & Databases, or websites from the left navigation.
Once you have chosen a link to explore, try different key terms to get the best results about your topic. Expanding the search to advanced search allows you to limit dates of publication, whether you want only full text articles (yes), and if they are peer-reviewed.
Next, depending on which Journal or eBook you want to use, there are a variety of ways to save that information. You can download it to your computer, email yourself a link or print it. Make sure you have all the citation information associated with the article (author(s), date of publication, title of the article, the name of the publication, the edition and volume number, and the page numbers if they are available). Please also make sure you copy the URL of where the article can be found. It will make it easier to relocate the article if you need to and it also needs to be used in the Citations or Works Cited page.
After you have a number of different sources, it's time to write your paper.
See our Citation Guides for how to put together a research paper in the proper format - APA, MLA or Chicago.
If you are having a bit of challenge finding the information you need, or need help with the academic formatting, don't hesitate to contact the library through the "Ask Me" button on the right side, email us or call.
