With a well-refined idea and a clear plan for your research, you can begin searching for the sources you'll need. Through MSU Libraries, you have access to a world of information--if you need something we don't have in-house, we'll try to get it for you from another library!
Find your subject and a list of related databases to search for academic/peer-reviewed articles, trade articles and magazines.
Primary sources are published and unpublished materials that provide firsthand evidence of historical events. They may include books, audiovisual materials, maps, letters, diaries, photographs, oral histories, newspapers, or posters.
Primary sources are usually found in a library's Special Collections department.
Government documents include any printed or processed book, paper, periodical, pamphlet, map, microform, or electronic product prepared and published at public expense by the United States Congress or by any of the Executive Departments, independent agencies, or judicial bodies of the U.S. Government. They are not copyrighted and may be reproduced freely.
We can help at every step!Chat, email, tweet, or text us your questions, and see frequently asked questions.
Call (662) 325-7667 or visit the Reference Desk on the second floor of Mitchell Memorial Library.
Hours
Location
Meet with a librarian to talk about library resources and search strategies.
Get research tips and lists of resources for a variety of subjects.
Cite sources in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles.
Watch tutorial videos on research strategies, database searching, and software tools.
Take a class on research, scholarship, academic integrity, or software.
Find sources for your paper in our collections.
Store, organize, and format citations, images and graphics with EndNote.
Use Mendeley to create a personal database of references that can be inserted into documents created with Word.
Zotero, a free cloud-based citation manager, automatically senses and imports content in your web browser and allows you to add it to your personal library, all within a single click! Zotero also has a Word plug-in to cite-while-you-write.
Get writing help in person or online. Tutors are available in Mitchell Memorial Library during Fall and Spring semesters, Sunday - Thursday, 6pm - 9pm.
MSU's writing quality enhancement plan seeks to improve undergraduate student writing by implementing a writing across the curriculum model, using writing-to-learn strategies and formal writing instruction.
This list of books can help you to write a successful research paper.
