-Links-
www.RBHSMedia.org
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Researchers
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-RBHS-
www.RedBudHighSchool.org

-For Our Researchers-

Faced with a research assignment?  We can help.
Note: If you are working on a particular project for a teacher,
check out our Pathfinders page.

Click below or scroll for links to:
Databases -- Our subscription databases are available to Red Bud High School students 24/7 from any computer with Internet access.  However, because we BUY the right to use the database, we are not allowed to post passwords to those databases on our web site.
 
User ID and passwords are posted in teachers' classrooms, in the office, and in the Media Center.  They are also available on bookmarks in the Media Center.

You can also access our databases without passwords by first logging in to Destiny. Type in the topic you are searching for.  Click on the One Search tab. Then, choose the database(s) you want to search.

EBSCOhost MAS Ultra Online for High School  should be your first stop for any research assignment.  See Mrs. McCutcheon for information on how to create your own EBSCO account to save your searches and your articles.
Username: redbud         Password: See your handout

Issues & Controversies is a database perfect for any student doing research on controversial social issues such as the death penalty, drunk driving laws, censorship... It presents information available on both sides of any issue.
Username: rbhsmedia            Password: See your handout

Opposing Viewpoints in Context  is similar to Issues & Controversies, but it offers much more depth and analysis into many more subjects.  OVC offers not only opposing arguments, but extensive reference material, primary sources, reviewed websites, and statistics.
No Username required.     Password:  See your handout

ABC-CLIO American History
  is a user-friendly database that is easy to search and includes weekly and daily updates that tie historical events to current events.
Username: festival         Password: See your handout

ABC-CLIO World Geography is an award-winning database that includes daily news items as well as information on the people in over 200 countries.
Username: festival         Password: See your handout

OCLC FirstSearch is a huge database made up of several more huge databases.  Most valuable to researchers are the H.W. Wilson, MedLine, and WorldCat databases.  Wilson includes links to full-text articles.  The latter two contain links to valuable web sites as well as to articles.
Username: 100109733   Password: See your handout

Teen Health and Wellness is an award-winning database that focuses on physical, mental, and emotional health and wellness.  Check out links for preparing for interviews and college.  The database is also interactive and allows teens to speak with professionals about some of their most personal concerns.
Username: redbudhs                  Password: See your handout


Good general reference books in our Media Center -- Believe it or not, everything you need to know is NOT yet available online, and some things can actually be found much faster in a book.  Search your topic in Destiny or talk with Mrs. Courtney or Mrs. McCutcheon.

Reference books ONLINE - 24/7! -- We've added 10 full-length, multi-volume reference books via the Gale Virtual Reference Center.  Search them as you'd search any database.  You can access them through the Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context as well.

What if I need a book that we don't have in our Media Center? 
Check this handout for step-by-step information on how to place an interlibrary loan request.

If we do not have the book at RBHS, your next option is to search SILNET, the Southern Illinois Library Network of public and school libraries throughout Southern Illinois.  Search (http://search.shawls.lib.il.us) Print a copy of the page describing the book you want.  Add your name and the name of the teacher and hour that you need the book for.  Turn that sheet in to Mrs. McCutcheon.

If SILNET does not have the book you need, search the 76 academic and special libraries in the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI). Search (https://i-share.carli.illinois.edu/ilcso/cgi-bin/welcome). Again, print a copy of the page describing the book you want.  Add your name and the name of the teacher and hour that you need the book for.  Turn that sheet in to Mrs. McCutcheon.

Search Engines and Internet Sites
Google is a great search engine that is getting better and it is, indeed, HUGE.  But, other search engines and subject directories organize information in different ways that can make finding what you need a lot easier. 

Smart Research
Click here for a Word document explaining how to be smart about your research.  Includes more annotated links to subject directories and subject-specific websites and deep web portals.

Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need
is a collection of search engines and directories organized according to your research needs by the people who brought you NoodleTools.

Best Search Tools Chart is another linked collection of search engines and directories organized by the the folks at Infopeople.org

Choosing Invisible Web Databases takes you to websites, search engines, and databases that Google can't take you to.

Librarians' Index to the Internet
(www.lii.org) is sponsored by the Library of California and is more than just a search engine.  It's actually a library online.  Each link comes with a detailed description.  Great for in-depth information without having to wade through the advertising.

Ixquick (www.ixquick.com) is a meta search engine that ranks its results and offers highlighted versions of each hit.  You can search for pictures, too.

Clusty (www.clusty.com), Ask.com (www.ask.com) and AllTheWeb (www.alltheweb.com) are meta search engines that organize their hits and offer suggestions for more specific searches.
 
Kartoo (www.kartoo.com) is a meta search engine that shows the results graphically with lines and circles.  This is a dream-come-true for right-brained researchers!

The Library of Congress (www.loc.gov) site features exhibits and information from America's past and present.

IMSA Search Challenges
The Search Challenges below are presented by the Illinois Math and Science Academy via the IMSA 21st Century Information Fluency Project.   Learn how to become a Master Searcher and have fun at the same time.  

Piranha Keyword Challenge - Will your keywords be effective 80% of the time?

Earthquake Challenge - Can you find the answer in less than 8 minutes?

Earthquake Keyword Challenge - Can you score above a B- in three tries?

Three Keyword Challenges - How effectively can you write a search query?