Available Mon - Thurs
10am - 6pm
Friday
10am - 2pm
Tutoring - Writing, math and more
Learning Guides - Quick learning
Hours - Find out when we're open
Library Search - Find materials
Databases - Articles and more!
InterLibrary Loan - Request books
Books - Recommended books
eBooks - Thousands of free eBooks
Streaming Video - Learn by watching
Use the Library Search to find books, eBooks, articles, and more!
You can find Learning Commons information, book recommendations and so much more on JCTC's social media.
Here are some basic tips for selecting a topic for any research paper.
Choose: a topic that interests you. You're more likely to enjoy the research process, if you like the topic.
Make sure: that your topic is not so broad that you are overwhelmed with information.
Make sure: that your topic is not so narrow that you can't find enough information.
Limit: your topic to a time period if necessary. For example, 2, 5 or 10 years.
Limit: your topic to a geographical area if necessary. For example, the United States or Kentucky or Louisville.
Consider: how much information you need. For example, your professor may require 3 scholarly articles, 1 book, and 1 newspaper article. It's best to know what you need before you even start looking.
Start: your research early to eliminate stress and anxiety.
Stumped about what to write about? Here are a couple places to get ideas. A librarian or writing instructor can help you narrow a topic that is too broad.
Why use this database?
Credo Reference allows access to hundreds of reference books, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, subject-specific texts, and many more. The Mind Map feature helps draw connections between different aspects of a topic.
What you need to know:
This database is useful for locating background and general information in almost all subject areas to help you better understand your topic.
This link opens in a new window
Why use this database?
Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints can be used to search articles, videos, charts, images, and infographics. It includes topical overviews, news, and opinions on hundreds of important social issues.
What you need to know:
Use this database to discover and choose research paper topics, and find in-depth articles for research assignments for any class.
One helpful note on Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints is that if you click on the "Browse Issues" tab right beneath the light bulb icon, you will find a list of topics.
