Skip to Main Content

ENGL 2 (Bonis): Research Strategies

A guide to library resources for Bonis' English 2 class.

Why can't I just use Google?

Why Library Databases Are Better Than Google For Your Research

We're used to Googling when we want to find something out, so it's natural to want to Google research topics, too.  BUT Google is not the best tool to use for college-level research.  If you Google your research topic, most of what you get back will not be useful to you -- you'll have to look through pages of results, trying to find the one or two items that are good enough.  And when you do find an article that looks really great, half the time it will be behind a paywall and they'll want your credit card number.

As a Butte College student, you have free access to collections of high-quality articles that will help you save time and find good resources.  By using Library databases, you can do your research better, faster, and with higher-quality results.  You should never have to pay extra money to get your academic work done!

Woman studying at home on a computer

Woman studying at home using laptop on the table by Jacob Lund from Noun Project

Writing Help

What's a Primary Source?

Research Help Videos

Get Organized

Research can be messy and complicated. It is important that you find a style that works best for you to stay organized from the beginning. Below is an example of a traditional index card strategy. Whether you decide to use index cards, a word document, or something else, take a look at the index card below so you know what information you should be recording while taking notes

Example of Index Card Note Taking Strategy

More strategies for taking notes including maps and outlines: