The Library Peer Navigators offer drop-in hours for basic research and citation help--no appointment needed!
Spring 2025 Drop-in Hours in Library 115:
Monday: 11am-1pm and 3:30pm-4:30pm
Tuesday: 10am-12pm and 3pm-5pm
Wednesday: 11am-1:30pm and 3:30pm-4:30pm
Thursday: 10am-11am and 3pm-5pm
See also: Sunday Study Time
BEAM is an acronym intended to help you think about the various ways you might use sources when writing a researched argument. Joseph Bizup, an English professor at Boston University, outlined the framework in a 2008 article. The idea has since been refined and adapted by many others.
Tertiary sources, such as subject encyclopedias and textbooks, are excellent starting points in your research. Use them to find:
At Collins Library, you can access subject encyclopedias in a variety of formats: print, ebook, or via larger digital collections.
Print encyclopedias are located on the first floor of the library, across from the Learning Commons.
Specific online encyclopedias can be searched for and accessed via PRIMO, the library's discovery platform.
Large digital collections of subject encyclopedias can be accessed via several publisher-based platforms.
The following subject encyclopedias are likely to be especially useful for this course.