WorldCat is valuable for finding published items that are not held at the University of Iowa Libraries. It is the world's most comprehensive catalog of items held by libraries, particularly libraries in North America. If InfoHawk+ doesn't have what you are looking for, try WorldCat - it contains over 2 billion records! And many of those items are available for you to borrow through Interlibrary Loan.

Use the "Libraries worldwide that own item" link to see which libraries have the items you want. You can then "Request item" from the link on WorldCat. Not everything that you see on WorldCat can be borrowed, but it's worth checking into!

Browse these resources to learn more about creating an annotated bibliography:

Cornell University - How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography

Purdue OWL - Annotated Bibliographies

University of Iowa students and staff can create an account here for enhanced access to The New York Times - digital edition. Then log in at www.nytimes.com.

The databases listed in this guide are the best bets for finding materials for ENGL:1200:0065, Spring 2024. They will contain many credible and relevant resources for your assignment. 

When searching for critical interpretations of your one or two selected texts, remember that the sources don't have to agree with your thesis. Sometimes, the arguments made by someone with opposing claims provides an opportunity to strengthen your own interpretation.

Each database will have tips and hints on how to use it. Don't be afraid of tutorials and help buttons.

Remember to cite your sources. Tips on MLA citations can be found here and here.

If you have questions or problems, contact your librarian!

• Generate a list of your search terms and any synonyms.
• Search for each term in InfoHawk+ and our databases. If you find a promising resource, look at the subjects that are listed in its record.
• Pro Tip: Once you are in InfoHawk+, click on the "Sign In" link in the upper right corner. Sign in with your HawkID and password and you will be able to pin resources, request items more easily, and save searches.
• If searching for a phrase, insert quotation marks around the phrase.
• Limit your search by a date range if you only want results from certain years. 
• To limit to peer-reviewed, scholarly, or academic article (lots of words for the same idea!), select "Peer-reviewed journal" from the left side of InfoHawk+. (Some databases have a peer-reviewed filter as well!)
• Try your search terms in multiple databases.
• You can also search in WorldCat to find resources not held by the University of Iowa and then request through ILL. 
• Look at the footnotes and bibliography of scholarly articles and dissertations - they can lead you to related sources!
• The first sources that you find may not be the best. Keep looking!

Navigating the web for credible sources can be challenging, here are some tips from other institutions to help with those searches. And don't be afraid to ask a librarian for help!

Evaluating Web Sources from Harvard University - Explanations of evaluating the website's author, accuracy and objectiveness, and currency and coverage.

Savvy Info Consumers: Internet Domains from the University of Washington - Information on reading a URL, common domain suffixes in the U.S., and country domain suffixes.