Welcome to the research guide for GEO 300, taught by Dr. Hilton Córdoba. The purpose of this guide is to provide helpful information and access to resources you may need in order to complete your research assignments.
Because research can be an overwhelming process, we have provided steps and resources for making it less discouraging. On this page, you will find the 5-step process for choosing a topic, and a Research Plan PDF for making your outline.
In today's world of endless information, it's critical that you understand the difference between the many types of sources, as well as how to critically and effectively evaluate them. On this page, you will be directed to information pages for popular/scholarly sources, primary/secondary sources, and internet sources. You will also view the necessary steps to take in order to assess those sources to determine whether or not to use them in your research.
Sometimes referred to as the "Library Google Search," Summon allows you to search for all of the information that Marshall Libraries has to offer, whether it is online in a database, or in print in one of our library buildings. On this page, you will learn how to perform better searches using Summon.
On the this page for scholarly resources, you will see a list of research databases that will provide many different types of online materials, such as eBooks, articles, studies, dissertations, and peer-reviewed sources.
On this page are two lists of free internet resources: Census and GIS. With one exception, all of the links are to US Government websites, and are considered trustworthy and up-to-date. The only other database listed is for a non-profit database created by a professor at UC Davis.
Citing sources can be difficult without worrying about maps and datasets. The resources on this page provide trustworthy and up-to-date citation information for reference pages, in-text citations, and annotated bibliographies.