Benefits of Using the Ashford University Library

There are many benefits to using the Ashford University library. In this paper I will explain the differences between scholarly and popular resources, along with providing a few examples to help better understand the differences. I will also talk about key things to remember when searching for sources within the Ashford University Library. Some examples I will explain are the databases and Find it tool @ AU search tool. Lastly I will go over how to be effective and efficient in finding resources that will fit in to research needs. So let’s talk about what are some of the key differences between scholarly resources and popular resources. A scholarly resource is a resource that is published by a subject matter expert. It is a paper that is written by someone who is very familiar with the subject on hand. After a person writes the said paper it then goes through a peer review. A peer review is others that are experts in the field and weigh in on the paper at hand. It is a very vigorous process. It then has to be approved in order to be published and be considered a scholarly resource. Unlike scholarly resources, popular resources are usually written by a journalist of some sort or professional blogger. These resources are typically found in magazines, newspapers, or blogs. And are generally written for entertainment and inform the public.

It often is very reliable and can be very helpful for research purposes. So now that you know what the differences are let’s talk about some key things to remember when searching with in the Ashford University Library. The Ashford University Library is an amazing tool for us students attending Ashford University. It is full of information that will put us on the right path to success. But you have to understand how to use it first. And the library has thought of it all. It has helpful tutorials to show you step by step on how to use it and what to use it for. It also has the Find it tool. You have to be sure when you are searching using the find it tool you be specific. When searching scholarly resources you have to just use main ideas and key words. If you try to search a long sentence or phrase it will give you tons of options and then you are really not using it the right way. It is not like a search engine where it guesses what you are trying to look for causing you to dig through thousands of pages. Using quotations is also helpful when searching because it will look for those specific words in that order.

These are just some key things to remember when using the Library and its tools to help us turn in quality work. Being effective and efficient is key to research. You never want to go in to it without a plan. Otherwise you could be wasting valuable time. So knowing how to navigate and what resources you have available is the key to being effective and efficient. The Ashford library is an amazing tool and I know I will use it every chance I get to be successful. Now knowing the differences between scholarly and popular resources and knowing key tips and tricks to navigating through the Ashford library I am sure that I can turn in a quality paper. I will become more efficient in time using the helpful hints found in the tutorials provided thus making me more efficient.

References
1. “Library Quick ‘n’ Dirty Transcript” (Ashford University Library Tutorials)