NC LIVE

Don't know where to start your research? Try NC LIVE! NC LIVE is a statewide library cooperative providing library users with access to an online collection of over one billion full-text articles, eBooks, streaming videos, digitized newspapers, language learning tools, and more.

NC LIVE contains 85 of the databases on Mitchell's A-Z Databases list. With one search you can scour them all, rather than searching each database individually.

Search Tips

Here are some pro tips for searching databases:

• Keep it short and sweet. Long phrases or entire sentences do not work as well in most databases as they do in search engines, like Google. For the best results, limit your search terms to 2-3 words.
• Break out the thesaurus. If you find too few or no results, brainstorm synonyms for your search terms, like car and automobile.
• Be specific. If you find too many results, include specific language in your search terms to pare them down.
• Use the search limiters. In the Advanced Search field, narrow your search by selection publication dates, author, subject, and more.
• Use Boolean operators or quotation marks. Use Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT) to link search terms (i.e., obesity AND children; oil NOT petroleum). Use quotation makers to limit results and search an exact phrase, like "Alice in Wonderland."

(c) "Tips and Tricks: Phrase Searching" by NCSU Libraries is licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 US

(c) "How Library Stuff Works: Boolean Operators (AND OR NOT)" by Ronald Williams Library, Northeastern Illinois University is licensed under CC BY

Types of Sources

Primary Sources

Characteristics of primary sources are:

• First-hand data from researchers or accounts of direct witnesses
• Factual
• Original

Primary sources may include: original works of fiction, original research, journals, autobiographies, personal correspondence, interviews, photos, case studies, personal narratives, speeches, and works of art.

Secondary Sources

Characteristics of secondary sources are:

• Second-hand accounts or references
• Interpretive or analyses of prior research
• Written long after the original work

Secondary sources may include: commentary/reviews, biographies, history books, and journal/newspaper articles written long after the event took place.

Some databases, like SIRS Issues Researcher, allow users to narrow search results by source type using search limiters.

(c) "SIRS Source Type limiter menu" by Mitchell Community College Library (n.d.)

Scholarly Sources

Scholarly sources are also called academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed sources. These sources are subject to a peer-review process during which other specialists and scholarly peers in the same field evaluate the quality of the author's research prior to publication. Scholarly sources can be found in the form of journals or articles.

Scholarly journals are compilations of articles written by scholars or experts who have completed research in a given field. They are intended to publish original research to share with other researchers and scholars, who constantly build upon new knowledge.

Scholarly articles are singular reports about the research completed by scholars or experts in their field. They typically have an abstract or descriptive summary and are intended to inform readers about their research findings. These articles often use technical language; contain citations (footnotes, references, or bibliographies); and may include charts, graphs, or other representations of data. 

Some databases allow users to narrow search results to peer reviewed sources using search limiters.