Matt Dilworth

Matt Dilworth

Peer Review and How to Find It

Peer Review and How to Find It

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
As a scholar, you will likely be asked to find a lot of very specialized information for your assignments, papers, and projects. Some of this is the type of material – use a certain number of books, articles, and websites. Sometimes you’ll be looking for primary sources – those created by the participants themselves. Other times it will be multimedia, like documentaries, interviews, or television news broadcasts. And other times it will be for peer reviewed material. Peer review isn’t complicated – it is a work of scholarship, usually a journal article, which other experts in the field read before it is published, and who attest to its veracity or academic value. A journal that is peer reviewed is generally … Continued
Ebooks on Parade

Ebooks on Parade

, books, Matt Dilworth
Chances are, if you use ebooks for leisure reading, you use a device like a Kindle, Nook, or iPad. But up until recently, our academic ebooks have not been useable on devices like that – they’ve been more akin to what you would find on Project Gutenberg, GoogleBooks, or the Baen Free Library. Designed for a computer, and only usable on a device that was actively on the internet. But times are changing. This month, EBSCO eBooks – one of our largest ebook providers – has just rolled out a new app that will let you access and use tens of thousands of volumes on iOS devices including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch (download the app here), Android devices (download … Continued
Building from ideas and research

Building from ideas and research

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
Construction is in the air at IU East! The new Student Events and Activities Center is taking shape! New buildings are always a welcome barometer of progress. IU East has grown from just Whitewater, to include Hayes, Middlefork (later renamed Tom Raper), and Springwood Halls. It is worth noting that all of those things were built from pieces. Some of the pieces were physical – lumber, pipes, wiring, drywall. Others were conceptual – ideas, plans, vision. Research is like that, too. First you have an idea – a topic you’re interested in, or a question you have. And you think about it, refining it and making choices about what would make a good paper, project, or experiment. Then, when it … Continued
Latin American Resources

Latin American Resources

, Frances Yates, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Programs
The United States is undergoing a massive demographic shift, as immigration again changes our national character and makeup. But in recent decades, the influx of people has not been from Europe but from our own hemisphere – Mexico, Central, and South America. And like generations of previous immigrants, these new Americans bring their own vibrant culture, interweaving it with the multifaceted tapestry that is already here. Richmond seems far away from the southern border, but almost all of us have still been touched in some way by Hispanic culture – neighbors, friends, coworkers, and colleagues. Perhaps you’re curious about these cultures, and want to know more. The library has plenty of tools to study Latin American and Hispanic culture – … Continued
Independence Day

Independence Day

Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
This week we will celebrate the Fourth of July. John Adams advocated celebrating it with “pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other”. Whether any of these factor into your own festivities, or whether you have your own traditions, the day marks a major change in human events. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by fifty-six men, putting our country on a path to freedom and self-determination that has since been copied by dozens of other nations. Before 1776, the evidence was scant that any people could successfully govern themselves without kings or aristocracy. Today, it is common knowledge. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were … Continued