Ask me a question

Start with a good biographical source like Wilson Biographies.

Go to the high school library Web site and click MAGNOLIA in the top right.  If you’re not at school remember you’ll have to click “access resources from home” at the top right of the MAGNOLIA home page and enter a password.  Email me or your English teacher for this.

Once you’re on the MAGNOLIA page, scroll to the bottom and click Wilson.

Click Biographies Plus.

Enter your person’s name and click start.

You’ll get a list of people, so just click the right one and you’ll get your biographical information.  Notice there are additional links on the left (at least for most entries there are links to additional information.)

Be sure to cite your source!

Several students have come by the last week or so and asked for help writing their Works Cited page.  I’ve been directing them to the library website where there’s a style guide link on the blue line.  I’ve just added “Mrs. Kemp’s examples” to that page and these should be very helpful.

 Here you’re going to find some examples that I recently wrote for juniors working on research papers.  I’ll add more examples to the page so check with “Mrs. Kemp’s examples” each time you have to site your sources…just because an example isn’t there this week doesn’t mean it’s never going to be there.  If you need a specific example, come by and ask or post me a comment.  I’ll be glad to add an example for the type source you’re using. Someone used several pamphlets from the vertical files today (what are vertical files, you say), so I’ll be adding an example for that.

But, there are several sites listed on that page that are very helpful.  The first one is a USM site.  Then there’s several links to Purdue University sites (thank you, Mrs. L. Smith) which are separated according to source type, like books, magazines, electronic sources, etc.  You just click on the link and you get examples only for that type source.  The USM site has all source types on one page and you just keep scrolling til you find what you need. 

For articles students get from MAGNOLIA or MELO, I have examples of the Works Cited entry under “Mrs. Kemp’s examples.”  You’re welcome

For Web sites I’ve listed two examples and I’ll post another for citing graphics in the near future.  We tend to forget that when we use a picture or clipart from the Internet WE NEED TO CITE THAT SOURCE.  It’s illegal to use information from others without properly citing your source which includes images AND music!  Do you have music on your FaceBook, or you MySpace?  Hmmm….did you have permission to upload it and post it?  Did you cite the source?  It may not be legal even if you site the source.  Be very, very careful.

Someone tracked me down yesterday, or tried to and I called them back today.  They needed the password to get into MAGNOLIA at home.  This student was working on a research paper for Driver’s Ed.  I never mind giving out that password, but …

Here’s what I suggest all you researchers do so you can remember the password.  Well, it’s what I suggest you do since you CAN’T remember the password.  If you’re one of the lucky ones who have my number, call me and I’ll give you the password.  Anyone can email me at my school email and I’ll get back to you pronto.  I usually check email at least once a day when I’m not at school.  If I’m at school I check it off and on all day long.

 First, I’m not going to post the password online anywhere.  MAGNOLIA is a site funded by the Mississippi Legislature for Mississippi students.  I give out the password to all students during library orientation and repeatedly to classes that come to the library to research.  I happily give it out to anyone who comes by and asks for it.  All your English teachers should have it.  BUT….

 so you have it when you need it…..

 Do you have an email account?  Of course you do.  And you check it at least once a month, right?  Of course you do.  Well, email the password to yourself and SAVE that email.  Then, whenever you need the password you have it and you don’t have to memorize it.  When I first started using MAGNOLIA at home this is what I did.  I couldn’t remember the password, but I did have it saved on my hard drive.  But, if I wasn’t online on THAT computer I was sunk.  So, I emailed it to myself.  Voila. 

 Problem solved.  Now, of course, I know the thing by memory. 

Oh, and when you people go off to college, the password is still good.  However, you should get a library password from your college so that you can access their library Web site off campus.  Check out the library Web site and look around for a place to contact the Webmaster OR try to access one of the databases and you’ll be prompted for your password.  Then if whatever you think is your password doesn’t work you’ll be prompted to fill out an online help form.  I think.  Plunder around on the site, you’ll figure it out.  There’s a “contact us” link on there somewhere.  Heck, GO BY THE LIBRARY and ask!

When you get that password you’ll have access to EBSCOhost and all the databases that you get free access to through MAGNOLIA (thanks to our Miss. legislature) AND you’ll have access to the databases that YOUR college subscribes to.  Most likely all the MAGNOLIA databases are going to appear on your college library Web site along with the ones they subscribe to.  If you didn’t know some of the databases were from MAGNOLIA you’d think your college subscribed to them for you.  But since you have a fabulous librarian, you’re familiar with MAGNOLIA’s subscriptions and you know which ones your state pays for.

USM has a fabulous online library Web site.  I’m most familiar with it since I earned my graduate degree from the Golden Eagles.  But, all colleges/universities subscribe to various databases and you are cheating yourself if you don’t check them out.  After all, you ARE paying for them (or whoever is paying your tuition is paying for them!)

see ya,

librarian librarian