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Student Assistants Research 101: Welcome!

Ask Us

24/7 Chat: Real-time chat services provided by library staff from various academic libraries.
 		  
Phone: Call the Library Services Desk at 209.228.4444
 
Facebook: Post your questions on the Wall of Discussion board.
 

Research Appointment: Send a request to meet with a librarian.
 
Roving Reference:  Ask a question of a Roving Reference student assistant.  Look for the red shirt.
 
Email: Email your question to library@ucmerced.edu

Access Library Resources from Off Campus

The VPN allows you to connect to the library's online articles and ebooks from off campus.

http://ucmercedlibrary.info/tech-help/connecting-from-off-campus

VPN

*Image courtesy of Design Services, UCI Libraries

Welcome to the Library!

Library Terms You Need to Know

  • abstract - A brief summary of the content of a book or article.
  • Boolean logic - using short words (AND, OR, NOT) to tell a database how search words related to each other. AND narrows a search.  OR broadens a search.  NOT removes a concept from a search. Examples: cats AND leukemia, cats OR felines, cats NOT siamese.
  • citation - A short description of a book, article or web page that has been quoted or used as a source. MLA style example:
       Burns, Tom, and Sandra Sinfield. Essential Study Skills: The complete guide to success at university. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2003.
  • controlled vocabulary/descriptors - Carefully selected words or phrases used to tag information for easy retrieval.  Example: pants may be the descriptor for trousers, slacks, dungarees, etc.
  • database - A searchable electronic catalog or index that helps you find articles and other library materials.
    • full-text - Refers to some databases that provide the entire text of the journal article as opposed to some databases which provide only the citation and abstract.
    • interlibrary loan - A free library service that allows you to borrow materials from other libraries.
    • journal - A scholarly magazine that contains articles written by professors, researchers or experts in a subject area.
    • truncation - A search technique in which you use a symbol to search for variations on a word. Example: educat* searches educate, education, educator, etc.

      Writing Center Pilot

      Are you ...

      • developing a thesis?
      • organizing your ideas?
      • incorporating evidence?

      Visit the Writing Center for an individual consultation with a peer.

      Hours & Location

      • 11am to 2pm in KL 260

      Appointments & Events

      • Two half hour appointments per week can be made at WCOnline.
      • Visit the calendar for upcoming Writing Center Open House events.

      people at table

      Accessing Full-Text

      Full-text may be immediately available via a pdf or html page.  If not, use the UCeLinks button to reach a request page.  You can Interlibrary Loan the item using your UCMnetID.