reliable sources

Embrace a New Database

Embrace a New Database

If you attended a library instruction session no doubt you were introduced to the database Academic Search Complete. That is because Academic Search Complete covers such a huge range of research needs. From political science to philosophy, dermatology to diabetes, geography to giant squids Academic Search Complete (ASC) usually has you covered. However, ASC is not the only game in town research-wise. There are other resources for your papers and presentations that present information in highly readable, easily searchable formats that even include tools for citations. Here are some resources you might want…continue reading →

The Great Gatsby

“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father told me something that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.” With the release of the movie are you thrilled by all things Gatsby? If so, you might want to check out the Princeton University Digital Library. You can view F. Scott Fitzgerald’s manuscript—in its original longhand form. (Fitzgerald used not a computer, not a typewriter, not even a pen to write. The manuscripts you can see are written in pencil.) The Princeton Digital Library has high-resolution digital images of The Great…continue reading →

Clench Your Fist to Get an A

It’s true! At least according to a study published in the online journal PLOSone (the Public Library of Science) and titled Getting a Grip on Memory: Unilateral Hand Clenching Alters Episodic Recall.  Researchers Ruth E. Propper, Sean E. McGraw, and Michael Weiss of the Department of Psychology, Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey; and Tad T. Brunyé of the Psychology Department, Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts conducted a study to determine if fist clenching could improve memory. Participants were divided into several groups. One group was given a rubber ball to squeeze…continue reading →

Spot the International Space Station

  “Hey, Timon, ever wonder what those sparkly dots are up there?” “Pumbaa, I don't wonder; I know.” “Oh. What are they?” “They're fireflies. Fireflies that, uh... got stuck up on that big bluish-black thing.” “Oh, gee. I always thought they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away.” “Pumbaa, with you, everything's gas.” Neither a firefly nor a ball of gas, the International Space Station is the third largest visible object in the night sky after the sun and the moon according to NASA. On a clear night it is easy…continue reading →

And the word is: GIF

Each November since 2005 lexicographers (“n., a writer or compiler of a dictionary”) at Oxford English Dictionary announce the word that qualifies as word of the year. After watching word trends to determine what word best illustrates the current zeitgeist, the 2012 winner is GIF. You probably recognize GIF—an acronym standing for graphic interchange format—after all it has been around for over 25 years, but like the word “Google” before it, GIF is morphing from strictly a noun into a verb. From popular tumblr sites such as That Disney GIF to gymnastic GIFs…continue reading →