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FAQs

Additional Resources: About the Library A - Z | Library Guides

How can I find resources that all relate to a specific subject area?

Please select from this list of subject resources.

How should I format my list of citations or references or bibliography at the end of my paper?

Look at our Citation Guides webpage for links to online citation guides. We also have manuals in the library that go into detail about MLA, APA, and other systems for formatting written materials.

How do I get materials that are not available in Murphy Library?

We offer a number of ways to get books, articles, videos, and more from other libraries. Almost all of these services are free. Universal Borrowing gets books, videos, and more from UW-System libraries in 2-4 days. Interlibrary Loan gets articles, books, videos, and more from libraries worldwide.

Universal Borrowing (UB)
  • Use to request books (not articles) from other UW System libraries.
  • You may request items for recreational or personal use.
  • Distance Learners may find UB problematic. Items are delivered to nearest UW campus library. Use ILLiad for all requests.
  • More about Universal Borrowing
Interlibrary Loan (ILLIAD)
  • You may only request items that support research and scholarship.
  • Use to request books not found via UB and journal articles
  • Distance Learners should use ILLiad service for all requests. Materials will be delivered to your office or home.
  • More about Interlibrary Loan

What is the difference between scholarly and popular magazines, journals, periodicals, etc.?

In general, scholarly periodicals are called "journals" and include articles written by researchers rather than journalists. They are often referred to as being "peer reviewed" because articles are only published after other researchers familiar with the subject have reviewed the articles for accuracy. Scholarly journals usually have little or no advertising. Look at our Recognizing Scholarly Journals page for more information on this topic.

How do I make sure that I'm not accidentally plagiarizing someone else's work?

Visit our Avoiding Plagiarism page for practical tips on avoiding plagiarism

How do I make sure that I am following copyright laws as I use information resources from the library and the web?

Please look at some of the valuable links on our Copyright Information page for current information.