Science and Technology Studies Commons^™

Beating The Odds With The Insider’S Scoop: Tips And Tricks From The Library Secrets! Librarian, Jennifer Kelley

Library Scholarship

Is the research process an “unbeatable” game, where the odds are always against the student? We see our students sitting blankly in front of computer screens, dropping search terms into databases like coins into one-armed bandits, hoping for the jackpot—full-text articles on their subject seemingly elusive as three cherries in a row.

Games generally have a learning curve—the more you play, the better you become. Increasingly, however, gamers turn to tips and tricks resources for shortcuts, strategies and cheat codes that can give them the edge and propel them to the next level. When it comes to research, the stakes …