Seven Steps to Effective Research

 Step 1:
Identify Your Topic		   Step 2:
Find Background Material		  Step 3:
Find Books		  Step 4:
Find Magazine Articles		  Step 5:
Find Web Resources		  Step 6:
Evaluate your Materials		  Step 7:
Cite Your Information
Step 3: Find Books

Locating books on your topic is an effective way to find information about you topic. The MCC Library catalog is located on all computers in the Library through a browser such as Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer. When you launch your browser software at a computer in the MCC Library, it should open a window which contains the MCC Library web page

Searching for books in the MCC Library Web Catalog:

Keep in mind that when you search the MCC Library Catalog you are searching for materials in all of the Maricopa community college libraries. Books which belong to the MCC Library will be marked with a double, flashing green asterisk. Books which are not marked with a double asterisk may be available from another campus.

Select the "Catalog" button from the MCC Library web page. You will be asked to select a location. Select "Mesa". When the search page appears, type in your search term into the edit box and select the appropriate search type: Author, Title, Subject or Keyword. It is important that you evaluate your search and choose a search type. If you merely hit the enter key on your keyboard rather than choosing the appropriate button, your results may not be as useful.

There are four possible results of your search:

  • You reach a list of subjects, authors or titles. Scroll to the appropriate entry for your search. This may require going to the "next page" or the "previous page". When you find the correct term, click where there is a number of titles listed in brackets.

  • You reach a list of books and other library materials. Scan the list until you find the entry you are interested in. When you have identified the book you want, it is important that you go to the bibliographic description of that book by clicking on "Maricopa Community Colleges" at the bottom of the entry.

  • You reach a bibliographic description of the book. Be sure to check under "Format" to see if it is a circulating book (BOOK) or if it is in REFERENCE, or has some other designation. Also check under "Status" to see if it is checked out (CHARGE) or Available. Checking the full record will save unnecessary trips to the shelf if a book is not currently available.

  • You reach a screen that tells you nothing was found. Check to see if you need to reformulate your search. Were your search terms spelled correctly? Is there another term that might be more descriptive? Ask for help at the Reference Desk if you are not finding what you need.

    • Using the MCC/Library of Congress Classification System

    The MCC Library uses the Library of Congress Classification System for shelving books. One of the purposes of a library classification system is to arrange the materials on the shelves in subject order. The Library of Congress Classification System follows a classification system beginning with "A" and ending with "Z".

    Text-Based Catalog

    An older version of the MCC Catalog is available in the Library on any computer desktop under the icon labeled "OPAC". This is a text-based version of the Catalog.

    Other Libary Catalogs

    If you do not find the book you need in any Maricopa Community College Libraries, you may wish to look in another local library. Many other Arizona Libraries may be searched via the MCC Library web page.

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