Background Reading
Before you start marshalling your arguments, take the time to do some background reading on your topic. Look for a balanced overview that will give you a sense of the key issues and points of debate as well as some history on the topic. One of the most important reasons to do background reading is to help you find subject terms, names, and keywords that you can use when searching for further resources on your topic.

Some places to look for overviews: books (they will often use the term “overview” or “history” in the title or subtitle), any of the databases listed below, a general encyclopedia (depending on your topic), general news magazines like Time or Newsweek.

Evidence to Support Your Argument
There are different types of evidence that might support your argument:

• “facts” about your topic: for example, a description of the various methods of contraception
• statistics: demographic information (for example, the number of teens murdered by handguns in the U.S. each year), public opinion surveys (for example, the number of people who favor the death penalty), usage (for example, the number of 13-year-olds who admit having tried marijuana)
• research studies : for example, a study showing that breaking large high schools into smaller units reduces the dropout rate
• anecdotal evidence: this is usually one or more stories that highlight a specific individual or place but illustrate the larger issue or topic (for example, the story of an illegal immigrant who cannot get healthcare for her children)

Think about what kind of evidence will best support the various points you are raising. If you are having trouble finding sources for evidence, see the Res Library staff.

Citation Information
Collect the citation information for your bibliography as you do your research.

• Check your Writing Stylus and get an idea of the different information you will need for each type of resource: book, print article, article from an online database, website, video, etc.
• Several of the subscription databases have a feature that helps you format your citation for the article you are viewing.
• Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University is an excellent resource to consult (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/)

Books
Some series that present articles on various controversial topics are:

• Opposing Viewpoints
• Taking Sides
• Current Controversies
• Issues in Focus
• Social Issues Firsthand
• Issues on Trial
• Pro/Con
• The History of Issues

Most public libraries will have at least some of these. You can get others through InterLibrary Loan.

Use a library catalog to find books on your topic. Use the bibliographies in books and articles to find more resources. Use the call number of a good book to browse the shelves for more books.

Res Library Subscription Databases (See the blue sheets for user IDs and passwords)

• Reader’s Guide Full Text Select. This is a database of articles published in magazines.  Once you login, click on the checkbox next to “Reader’s Guide.”
• Current Issues : Reference Shelf Plus.  A database of full-text articles from key publications covering a variety of current social, scientific, health, political, and global issues.  The editor-selected resources are designed to provide a well-rounded overview of the topic.  Once you login, click on the checkbox next to “Current Issues: Ref Shelf Plus.”
• FACTS.com Issues & Controversies.  A great resource for controversial issues as well as tracking current events. There are quick links to “Issues in the Headlines” on the right side of the main page.  To see all the topics, click on the “Access All Topics” link.  You can also use the Subject Index along the left-side menu.
• FACTS.com Today’s Science. Useful for science-related research as well as controversial topics related to science, medicine, and technology.  There are quick links to “Issues in the Headlines” on the right side of the main page.  To see all the topics, click on the “Access All Topics” link.  You can also use the Subject Index along the left-side menu.
• CQ Researcher.  Provides in-depth coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the U.S. economy. Once you login, choose “CQ Researcher Online.”  The Pro/Con link on the left-side menu provides a list of topics to browse.
• Current Issues in Health.  Offers specially selected resources on health topics.  You can use the Search Box or drill down through a particular topic.  Search results can be full-text or just the article citation. Once you login, click on the checkbox next to “Current Issues: Health.”
• Britannica Online.  This online encyclopedia provides basic, introductory information and can be a good place for an overview of your topic.
• EBSCO Science Reference Center.   Once you login, click on “EBSCOhost Research Databases” to get to the Science Reference Center.  It includes chapters from books, reports, and articles from journals and magazines.
• FirstSearch is really a number of databases under one umbrella.  You can search up to 3 databases at one time.  Three general databases are WilsonSelectPlus, ArticleFirst, and ECO.  Depending on your topic, you might want to also search MEDLINE (for health and medicine topics) and ERIC (for education-related topics).  Once you login, click on the List All Databases link.  To select a database to search, click in the checkbox to the left of the database name.  Once you have selected your databases, click the Select button. Click on the Advanced Search link; this will give you more control of your search and better results.  Click on the title of an article to get more information about that article; most article citations have at least an abstract or summary to help you get an idea of what the full article is about.  Some articles have a link for View Full Text in HTML format and/or View Full Text in PDF format.  You can click on those links and get the full text of the article.  If you have an option, choose PDF.  Some articles in your Results list will only have a link that says See more details for locating this item.  If you think the article will be useful to you, print out the citation and bring it to the library and we will request a copy of the article from another library.

Web Resources
If you use web sites, you must absolutely know who the author is!

• Start with the Librarians’ Internet Index (http://www.lii.org)
• The Christian Science Monitor (http://www.csmonitor.com) is a newspaper with an excellent website. Use the Search box to find articles on a variety of topics.
• The Public Library of Law (http://www.plol.org) provides free access to selected U.S. legal materials. See your handout or library staff for the correct username and password.
• The Multnomah County Library Homework Center Social Issues page (http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.html) has a good set of links on a variety of issues, but be warned that not all links are active.
• FRONTLINE from PBS (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/) produces excellent television news documentaries on timely and controversial topics.  Many of these programs are available on VHS or DVD through your local public library.
• The Internet Public Library Social Issues and Social Welfare Subject Guide  (http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/soc80.00.00) provides links to online resources in a number of categories.
• ProCon.Org  (http://www.procon.org  This site is dedicated to presenting issues in a non-partisan, pro/con format.

SUBSCRIPTION DATABASES

• Britannica Online  (http://www.school.eb.com)
• Reader’s Guide Full Text Select  (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/)  Once you login, click on “Reader’s Guide.”
• Current Issues : Reference Shelf Plus  (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/)  Once you login, click on “Current Issues : Ref Shelf Plus.”
• Current Issues in Health  (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/)  Once you login, click on “Current Issues : Health.”
• Issues & Controversies  (http://www.fofweb.com)  If you are trying to decide on a topic, use the Subject Index along the left-side menu or the “Issues in the Headlines” section on the right side of the main page.
• Today’s Science  (http://www.fofweb.com)  If you are trying to decide on a topic, use the Subject Index along the left-side menu or the “Issues in the Headlines” section on the right side of the main page.
• EBSCO Science Reference Center (http://search.ebscohost.com)  Once you login, click on “Search EBSCOhost Research Databases.”
• CQ Researcher  (http://library.cqpress.com)  Once you login, click on “CQ Researcher Online.”

WEB RESOURCES

• Librarians’ Internet Index  (http://www.lii.org)
• Christian Science Monitor  (http://www.csmonitor.com is an online newspaper with excellent national and international coverage.
• The Public Library of Law  (http://www.plol.org) provides free access to selected U.S. legal materials.  Check your handout for the username and password.
• The Multnomah County Library Homework Center Social Issues page  (http://www.multcolib.org/homework/sochc.html) has a good set of links on a variety of issues.  But be warned that not all links are active.
• FRONTLINE from PBS  (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/) produces excellent television news documentaries on timely and controversial topics.  Many of these programs are available on DVD or VHS through your local public library.
• The Internet Public Library Social Issues and Social Welfare Subject Guide  (http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/soc80.00.00) provides links to online resources in a number of categories.
• ProCon.Org  (http://www.procon.org)  This site is dedicated to presenting issues in a non-partisan, pro/con format.

CREATING YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY

Use these two resources to help you correctly format your bibliography according to APA guidelines.  Remember to collect your citation information as you do your research.  It will save you from having to reconstruct your search later.

• Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University  (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01)
• Oregon School Library Information System  (http://secondary.oslis.org)

Please stop by and see us in the library if you need help.

Library Catalogs

• Do a Subject search for your person: Last Name, First Name.
• Do a Keyword search for your person: “First Name Last Name” (try it with and without the quotation marks)
• Do a Subject search by profession: Women physicists, Women dancers, Women authors, Women blues musicians.

• Res Library catalog
• Chicago Public Library (http://www.chipublib.org)  Use the Advanced Search link
• Niles Public Library  (http://www.nileslibrary.org)
• Park Ridge Public Library  (http://www.parkridgelibrary.org)

Res Library Subscription Databases

• Britannica Online (http://www.school.eb.com)  This is an online encyclopedia for basic, introductory information.  Start here!
• Reader’s Guide Full Text Select  (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/)  Once you login, click on the checkbox next to “Reader’s Guide.”  For this assignment, it makes sense to click the checkbox next to “Full Text” so you only retrieve articles that have the full text.  Once you have searched and have a Results list, you can sort by “Date” to put the most recent articles first.
• EBSCO Science Reference Center  (http://search.ebscohost.com)  This is good for information on scientists, astronauts, doctors, etc.  Once you login, click on “EBSCOhost  Research Databases” to get to the Science Reference Center.
• Gale Literature Resource Center (http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/reshs)  This is good for information on authors and poets.  Look for articles under the “Biography” tab after you search for your person’s name.
• FACTS.com Issues & Controversies and Today’s Science (http://www.fofweb.com)  These are 2 separate databases.  Issues & Controversies is good for information on politicians and women active in social and political causes.  Today’s Science is good for women working in science, technology, medicine, and health care.

Web Resources

Some of these sites are good places to look for ideas of a woman to research.  Some of them will provide more in-depth information or links to other resources.  Try to find the person’s official website for the most up-to-date information.  No doubt you will find many other web resources.  Just make sure you know who the author of the website is and their credentials — you must know if you can trust the information they are providing.

• Librarians’ Internet Index  (http://www.lii.org)
• Internet Public Library — Biographies collection  (http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/ref15.00.00)
• Time 100  (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1894410,00.html)
• Women Nobel Laureates  (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/women.html)
• Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership  (http://www.guide2womenleaders.com)
• Women’s International Center Biography page  (http://web.me.com/uromastyx.studio/WIC/wic2008biogreaphies.html)
• World’s Most Powerful Women — Forbes magazine  (http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/18/worlds-most-powerful-women-forbes-woman-power-women-09-angela-merkel_land.html)
• Christian Science Monitor  (http://www.csmonitor.com)

Citing Your Sources

Use your Writing Stylus to help you understand the MLA format.  It is best to collect the information you need for your bibliography as you do your research rather than trying to go back and reconstruct your sources later.

An excellent resource to help you format your citations is the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01)

Use the Oregon School Library Information System website (http://old.oslis.org/docs/MLAcitexamprtnprt8-07.pdf) to see examples of citations in proper MLA format.

FirstSearch is an excellent resource and can be very helpful to you in many of your assignments.  However, it’s not the easiest or most intuitive database to get into and use.  Therefore, we’ve developed a guidesheet to help walk you through logging on, selecting databases, searching, and dealing with results.

Click on the link below for the guide sheet.  It is also available from the library’s Online Databases webpage.  If you need the Authorization number and password for FirstSearch, stop by the library and pick up a blue sheet.  And if you need help using FirstSearch, just let us know.  We’d be happy to sit down and work with you on it.

FirstSearch Guide Sheet

April & Oliver;  by Tess Callahan  (find it on our shelves at FIC CAL)

The story of April and Oliver, two inseparable childhood friends whose existences again collide with the sudden death of April’s younger brother.

Tess Callahan’s website  (http://tesscallahan.com)

 Fire;  by Kristin Cashore  (find it on our shelves at FIC CAS)

In a kingdom called The Dells, Fire is the last human-shaped monster, with unimaginable beauty and the ability to control the minds of those around her.  But even with these gifts, she cannot escape the strife that overcomes her world.  This is a kind of prequel to Cashore’s Graceling.

Kristin Cashore’s blog and website  (http://kristincashore.blogspot.com)

Catching Fire;  by Suzanne Collins  (find it on our shelves at FIC COL)

By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss and Peeta have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families. But because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.  This is a sequel to The Hunger Games.

Suzanne Collins’ website  (http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com)

I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets : Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure : From Smith Magazine;  edited by Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith  (find it on our shelves at 920 ICA)

Smith Magazine sought memoirs that could only be 6 words long and then chose some of the best for this collection.  Creative and thought-provoking.  How would you sum up your life in 6 words?

Smith Magazine  ( http://www.smithteens.com)

The Plan of Chicago : Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City;  by Carl S. Smith  (find it on our shelves at 977.311 SMI)

This was the Chicago Public Library’s “One Book, One Chicago” pick for Fall 2009.  Burnham’s plan proposed many of the city’s most distinctive features and it remains a living document that continues to inspire discussion and, well, plans!

Burnham Plan Centennial website  (http://burnhamplan100.uchicago.edu)

Charles and Emma : The Darwins’ Leap of Faith;  by Deborah Heiligman  (find it on our shelves at 921 DAR)

Find out how the tension between the theory of evolution and the tenets of religion, a tension that remains to this day, played out in the marriage of Charles Darwin and his wife, Emma.

Deborah Heiligman’s website  (http://www.deborahheiligman.com)

BACKGROUND READING

Background reading on your author can provide information on the author’s life, the publishing history of the book, literary terms associated with the author and his/her works (genre, literary movements, themes, style, etc.) and any adaptations of the work.  Use Britannica Online (http://www.school.eb.com) or a print encyclopedia (find them in the Res Library at REF 031).  If you use a print encyclopedia, look up your author in the index volume.  That way you’ll find all of the references to your author in the entire set and you will have a greater understanding of their writing and their significance.  If you use an online encyclopedia, read all of the entries that come up in the Results list, not just the first one.

Check if there is an entry for your author in American Writers (REF 810.9 AME) or British Writers (REF 820.9 BRI).  These entries are a terrific introduction to your author so although they might be quite long, they are well worth the effort.  If you print out the information on your novel or play from the Gale Literary Index (http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitIndex) , you will know exactly which volume to check.

REFERENCE BOOKS

There are several series of reference books you can consult, either in the Res Library or at your local public library.  The printout from the Gale Literary Index (http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitIndex) will come in handy here once again, especially to find critical essays in Contemporary Literary Criticism, Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism, and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism.

• American Writers  (REF 810.9 AME)
• British Writers  (REF 820.9)
• Literature and Its Times  (REF 809.93 LIT)
• World Literature and Its Times series (REF 809 MOS)
• Contemporary Literary Criticism  (REF 809.3 CON)
• Twentieth Century Literary Criticism  (REF 809.3 TWE)
• Great World Writers : Twentieth Century  (REF 809.04 GRE)
• Dictionary of Literary Biography
• Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism

Browse the 800s in the Reference section for other possible sources.  Your public library has many more sets and series that will be useful, so don’t neglect a trip there.

CIRCULATING BOOKS

Depending on your author and title, you may find entire volumes of literary criticism devoted to that work.  Or you may find books about your author containing a chapter or two about the particular work you are researching.  The Subject Heading format for finding literary criticism about an author or about a particular work is as follows:

[author's last name, author's first name] — Criticism and interpretation
[author's last name author's first name]. [title of the work] — Criticism and interpretation

Use the Res Library catalog or your local public library catalog to search for books of literary criticism by selecting the Browse feature and entering a Subject search for the author’s name (last name, first name).  The Browse features lists all of the Subject headings in a row and you can scroll down the list to see if there are Subject headings that match the formats shown above.  Then click on that Subject heading to get the list of books.  It sounds complicated but it’s really a quick way to find critical essays.  If you need a demonstration, stop by the library.  Here are the web addresses for some of the local public libraries:

• Chicago Public Library  (http://www.chipublib.org)
• Niles Public Library  (http://www.nileslibrary.org)
• Park Ridge Public Library  (http://www.parkridgelibrary.org)

There are several series of books of literary criticism, either about all of the author’s works, or about a single work.  There are even some books that focus on a specific literary character.  Search for books edited by Harold Bloom or for books in the Twayne’s series, e.g. Twayne’s United States Authors, Twayne’s English Authors, Twayne’s World Authors, etc.

RES LIBRARY DATABASES

The Res Library subscribes to a number of databases and two of them will be of particular use to you in this research project.  If you don’t have the usernames and passwords for these databases, stop by the library and pick up a blue sheet.  We’d be happy to give you a little demonstration if you’re having trouble using either one of these databases.

• Gale Literature Resource Center  (http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/reshs) contains biographical materials, literary criticism, and other material.  At the Basic search screen, enter the title of the book you are researching and click the radio button for Name of Work, then click the Search button.  The Topic & Work Overviews and Literature Criticism tabs will be the most helpful to you.  Look at the right side of the Results list for more information to help you decide whether or not you want to look at the article.  The Reviews & News tab can lead you to reviews of books of literary criticism about the author or the work.  Then you can decide if it’s worthwhile to try and find that book.
• FirstSearch  (http://firstsearch.oclc.org)  is really a number of databases under one umbrella.  You can search up to 3 databases at one time.  For literary criticism, your best bets are WilsonSelectPlus, ECO, and ArticleFirst.  Once you login, click on the List All Databases link.  To select a database to search, click in the checkbox to the left of the database name.  Once you have selected your databases, click the Select button. Click on the Advanced Search link; this will give you more control of your search and better results.  In the first search box, put in the name of your author (last name, first name). From the drop-down menu to the right, select Subject because you want articles about your author, not articles written by that person.  In the second search box, enter the title of the work you are researching and put the title in quotation marks.  This will help narrow your search to articles that at least mention the particular book or play you are researching.  You will (hopefully) get a list of “hits.”  Click on the title of an article to get more information about that article; most article citations have at least an abstract or summary to help you get an idea of what the full article is about.  Some articles have a link for View Full Text in HTML format and/or View Full Text in PDF format.  You can click on those links and get the full text of the article.  If you have an option, choose PDF.  Some articles in your Results list will only have a link that says See more details for locating this item.  If you think the article will be useful to you, print out the citation and bring it to the library and we will request a copy of the article from another library.

This is just a basic introduction to these two databases.  If your class doesn’t come to the library for an introduction to finding critical essays, stop by the library on your own for some help.  We are open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on most days.  And don’t forget to use the databases available through your local public library.

CITING YOUR SOURCES

Your Writing Stylus will help you follow the MLA format in citing your sources and creating your bibliography.  The library has the latest edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (REF 808 GIB).  In addition, here are two websites that can help:

• Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University is an excellent resource to consult (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/)
• Oregon School Library Information System provides a nice set of examples of MLA citations in a PDF document  (http://old.oslis.org/docs/MLAcitexamprtnprt8-07.pdf).

SOME TIPS FOR RESEARCH

• Collect the information for your bibliography as you go.  It takes so much more time to backtrack and figure out where the notes or printout or article came from than to write down the citation information you need right from the start.
• Use bibliographies in books, articles, and websites to help you find more resources.  Even if a book wasn’t helpful, check the bibliography or Works Cited or Further Reading pages.
• Research takes time — lots of time!  Don’t procrastinate.

This is a big project so make sure you stop by the library throughout your research and writing process and let us know how we can help.

Please come and see us in the library if you have questions or need help.  If you didn’t receive a blue sheet with the usernames and passwords for the subscription databases, stop by the library to get one. 

Don’t forget to use the books and subscription databases available through your local public library.

Britannica Online  (http://www.school.eb.com)

Daily Life Online  (http://dailylife.greenwood.com)

EBSCO Science Reference Center  (http://search.ebscohost.com)

Bulfinch’s Mythology on  Bartleby.com  (http://www.bartleby.com/bulfinch/)

Encyclopedia Mythica  (http://www.pantheon.org)

British Museum — Ancient Greece  (http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk)

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Ancient History – Greeks  (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/)

Minnesota State University — Ancient Greek Civilizations  (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/)

Tufts University Perseus Digital Library – Hercules  (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/)

World News Network – Ancient Greece  (http://www.ancientgreece.com)

Theoi Greek Mythology  (http://www.theoi.com)

Exploring Ancient World Cultures  (http://eawc.evansville.edu/grpage.htm)

U.S. Census Bureau – U.S. Gazetteer  (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer/)

Librarians’ Internet Index  (http://www.lii.org)

Internet Public Library Pathfinder on Greek Mythology  (http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48479/)

Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University  (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/)

Oregon School Library Information System  (http://www.oslis.org/resources/cm/apacitations/)

Some things you might need to be researching:

• basic ingredients (see the list from your teacher);
• ingredients specific to your cookie;
• heat and its effects: conventional oven, microwave oven, baking, frying, “no-bake”;
• order of mixing ingredients;
• grouping of ingredients in a recipe: wet, dry, etc.;
• processes: whipping, creaming, refrigerating before shaping;
• reactions in mixing and preparing
• reactions in the oven or other heating process

Not all of these things will affect the chemistry, but some might, so you want to consider them.

Some search terms you might want to try for Keyword and Subject searching:

• chemistry AND cooking
• science AND cooking
• chemistry AND cooking AND cookies
• molecular gastronomy
• Food — Analysis
• Food — Composition
• food AND chemistry
• [specific ingredient] AND chemistry

You can use these terms in library catalogs and subscription databases and search engines on the web.  Some will work in some places and some in others.  Try a few searches and see what you end up with.  The word “AND” should be written that way.  It is a Boolean operator and tells the database or whatever you are searching that you want the terms on either side of the AND to be in the same article, webpage, record, etc.  It is a way to help focus your search and narrow the list of results.

Some places to search or resources to use (and maybe some help with search techniques):

• Britannica Online  (http://school.eb.com)  Get a blue sheet from the Res library with the username and password for this subscription database.  This is an online encyclopedia.  Use the “High School” level and just enter baking in the search box.  The baking article has good introductory information  The Table of Contents for the article is listed along the left-side and you can expand the topics by clicking on the + sign next to each topic.
• On Food and Cooking : The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee.  Updated edition published by Scribners in 2004 (9780684800011).  Many, many public libraries have this book.  It is used as the textbook for the “Kitchen Chemistry” course taught at MIT.
• EBSCO Science Reference Center  (http://search.ebscohost.com)  Get a blue sheet from the Res library with the username and password for this subscription database.  Once you login, click on the EBSCOhost Research Databases link to get to the Science Reference Center.
• The Accidental Scientist : The Science of Cooking from the Exploratorium  (http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/)  Look at the section on Eggs and Bread.  Also click on the Ask the Inquisitive Cooks icon on the right-side of the main page and look at the topics in their archives.
• When examing books you’ve found through searching library catalogs, use the book’s Table of Contents and index to find out if the book has information that will be useful.  Don’t forget to look at the bibliography in books and articles to help you find more information.
• How Baking Works  (http://www.baking911.com/howto/how_baking_works.htm)  from the Baking 911 website.  This site is authored by Sarah Phillips, a cookbook author, speaker, and consultant.
• Butter Through the Ages  (http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/)  Click on the Composition link and work through the sub-pages for more detailed information.  This site is sponsored by the Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement.
• Cook’s Illustrated magazine from America’s Test Kitchen.  They have a Food Science section in the magazine, but you will have to find a public library that keeps the back issues since online access is only available to magazine subscribers.  Use the online listing (http://www.americastestkitchen.com/foodsciencelist.asp) to find relevant articles and then look for the print copy.  If you find an article you want, come and see us in the library and we will try to get it for you through interlibrary loan.
• BakeWise by Shirley Corriher, published by Scribners in 2008 (9781416560784)  Corriher is a former research biochemist and the book’s strength is in the explanations of the underlying principles of baking.  This book should be available at many public libraries.
• Good Eats by Alton Brown, both his books and episodes from the TV program.  There’s an episode called “The Cookie Clause” that looks promising if you can find it.
• readings and related resources from the “Kitchen Chemistry” course at MIT.  The course materials are available on their OpenCourseWare site  (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Special-Programs/SP-287Spring-2006/CourseHome/index.htm)
• King Arthur Flour’s Baker’s Companion cookbook (9780881505818) and King Arthur Flour’s Cookie Companion cookbook (9780881506594)  Both of these books are produced by the King Arthur Flour Company of Vermont and while they are primarily filled with recipes, there is also a great deal of background information on baking.  Find them at your public library.

I know this has been a long post, but I hope it has been useful to you.  If you have questions or run into problems, please come see us in the library.

This year’s theme for TRW is “Read Beyond Reality” and I thought I’d share a couple of books I’ve read recently that I thoroughly enjoyed and that fit with this theme.

Singing the Dogstar Blues by Alison Goodman.  This book is set in a future Australia where time-travel student Joss Aronson is teamed up with Makvel, an alien who has come to earth to study.  It’s a kind of sci-fi thriller that works because Joss is such a great character.  She’s smart and sarcastic and about to be expelled from yet another school, but she’s also courageous and kind-hearted and willing to risk everything for what is right.

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.  Although this is the 3rd book in the series (following The Thief and The Queen of Attolia), you don’t need to have read the first two to enjoy this one.  Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, having married the Queen of Attolia, is now installed as the King.  But some in the Queen’s court and some neighbors and rivals of Attolia, are doing their best to get rid of him.  I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in the interactions between the King and Queen and how that humor was a sign of the strength of their relationship.  I also identified with Costis, a good and loyal foot soldier whose determination to do the right thing played a crucial role in support of his Queen and King against those who would sacrifice others for their own self-interest.

Feed by M.T. Anderson.  Like Singing the Dogstar Blues, this book is set in the near future, a future where most people have computer implants in their brains — “The Feed.”  Titus meets Violet at a party on the moon and the book traces their relationship as Violet’s “feed” begins to malfunction. It’s an intriguing, yet discomforting, story as you see how easily people give up thinking for themselves.

One that I haven’t read yet, but is on my list, is Terrier by Tamora Pierce.  This is the first book in a new series that connects with Pierce’s character, Alanna.  School Library Journal summarizes the plot as follows:

“Orphaned Beka Cooper, 16, is a trainee-a “Puppy”-in the Provost’s Guard. Having spent the first half of her life in Tortall’s slums, she is driven by the need to do what is right and see justice done. Paired with two of the best Guards, or “Dogs,” in the organization and aided by her own gifts of magic, Beka learns her job, makes friends with two mages and a thief, and uncovers two serial killers who prey on the poor and unnoticed.”

I’ve not read any Tamora Pierce and I’m looking forward to “reading beyond reality” in her new book!

Res Library Catalog

Res Library’s Creating Your Bibliography web page (http://www.reshs.org/snav/164/page.htm)

Res Library’s Online Databases web page  (http://www.reshs.org/snav/162/page.htm)  This page contains links to all of our subscription databases.

Readers’ Guide Full Text Select  (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/) 

FirstSearch  (http://firstsearch.oclc.org)

Current Issues : Reference Shelf Plus  (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/)

EBSCO Science Reference Center (http://search.ebscohost.com/)

CQ Researcher Online  (http://library.cqpress.com/)

Issues & Controversies  (http://www.fofweb.com/)

Google Scholar  (http://scholar.google.com)

Purdue OWL APA Formatting and Style Guide  (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01)

Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide  (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01)