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ASTR 105: Introduction to Planetary Astronomy

Spring 2025: Prof. Sean McClout

Library Single Search

Library Single Search Tutorial

Books and resources

Databases

Characteristics:

  • Cover numerous topics
  • May contain multiple types of sources (e.g. popular, trade, scholarly)
  • Audience = educated readership

Examples:

Characteristics:

  • Pertain to a particular discipline
  • Often contain scholarly sources, known as peer-reviewed articles
  • Articles are written and reviewed by experts in the field
  • Academic audience
  • Showcase original research

Examples:

Characteristics:

  • Written by columnists
  • Audience = general public
  • Full of images

Examples:

  • Sports Illustrated
  • Vogue

Characteristics:

  • Written by columnists, journalists, and/or reporters
  • Coverage = current events
  • Articles written at 8th grade reading level

Examples:

Review Articles

Review articles give a bird's eye view of a field or niche within a field. They can contain valuable bibliography. The titles of these articles often have a slightly higher level or "generic" quality than the titles of  articles reporting very specific research findings.

The science librarian can help you locate review articles. Also, see the Annual Reviews box below.

Annual Reviews

Search Techniques

Accessing Resources Off-Campus

Use the VPN (Virtual Private Network) to access Lehigh's electronic resources from off-campus.  View the video to learn how.