This library guide provides resources for finding Evidence-Based Research for Lighting II.
For more information on the research process, creating a topic, coming up with search strategies, and more, try the Library's Research Fundamentals Guide.
To find books, ebooks, and videos in the library catalog, start your search below. (Or check out a suggested reference text!)
Remember to check the table of contents or index to see if the book has a section that might be relevant to your research question. You won't usually find a whole book on your exact topic, and that's okay!
Use our catalog to find books, videos, and other resources in our collections.
Reference Books
Suggested Databases
These are all library resources that can be particularly helpful for finding evidence-based research for lighting design. Use these to find shorter, professional, and specific articles.
- Art & Architecture CompleteThis database provides full-text coverage of more than 350 periodicals and 220 books. Art & Architecture Complete also offers cover-to-cover indexing and abstracts for more than 800 academic journals, magazines and trade publications. Search this for both general and specific lighting topics.
- Associates Programs Source PlusAssociates Programs Source Plus focuses on trade journals and magazines. Search this for specific lighting applications.
- Fairchild Books Interior Design Library
Fairchild Books Interior Design Library is a collection of digital textbooks and supplementary resources for all levels. Key subject areas covered include interior construction and building systems; drawing, modelling, and CAD; interior design: principles and approaches; professional and business practice; elements of interior design; and history, theory, and criticism.
- Science Direct
Science Direct provides indexing and full-text journal articles in the sciences and social sciences, including chemistry, medicine, computer science, earth science, economics, business, engineering, energy, environmental science, life science, materials science, mathematics, physics, and astronomy. This is a good source for scholarly research in those subjects.
- WGSNWGSN is a market intelligence tool. It examines current and future trends in a variety of design and creative industries. This rich resource includes trend forecasting reports, trade show reports, examinations of consumer behaviors, merchandising advice, and much more. WSGN's reports can be downloaded to your computer or saved to your WGSN account. Reports include data sources and cited images that can be downloaded individually, as well as templates and other tools for use in Photoshop & Illustrator. WGSN can also be used to get ideas for paper and presentation topics. Browse or search under Interiors>Furniture & Lighting.
Specalizied Resources
Sometimes you might need to try a more unique resource for your question. Here are a few suggestions. (Need more? Ask a Librarian!)
Is your research question related to health or medicine? Try:
- PubMed - National Library of Medicine
The PubMed database, freely available via the Internet, provides citations and abstracts to articles in medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, allied health, and the pre-clinical sciences; it also indexes articles from the Index to Dental Literature and the International Nursing Index. PubMed is a service of the US National Library of Medicine. Citations may include links to full-text articles from PubMed Central or publisher websites.
Is your research question related to sustainability? Try:
- Building Green
Building Green is an online trade magazine for interior design, architecture, construction, and related industries that provides information for professionals seeking to minimize ecological impact and maximize economic performance. Includes feature articles, in-depth product insights, design strategies, and information about industry standards. Create an account with your COD email for off campus access.
Is your research question related to the consumer behaviors / values of certain demographics? Try:
- Mintel
Mintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. Use this resource to find analysis of consumers, markets, new products, and competitive landscapes in local and global economies. Includes full datasets as well as analysis and reports. An excellent resource for gathering information for a business plan. Accept the terms of service to access.
Reminders
Come back to your research question -- is this source applicable?
Come back to your research question -- is this source appropriate?
How does the source use evidence? How do you know?
Evaluating sources
Ask yourself the following questions about the source, and your experience with the source.
The Source
- What does it say / what is the main point?
- Where was it published / posted?
- When was it published / posted?
- Who is the author / creator?
- Why does it exist?
- How does it incorporate evidence?
Beyond the Source
- When was it changed?
- Where did you access it?
- What other information can you find about this topic?
- Who's missing from the conversation?
- Why do you need this information?
- How did the information find you? How did you react?
The Source + Beyond the Source Evaluation Framework by DePaul University Library is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Created by Firouzeh Rismiller, Holly Cerney, Susan Shultz, Grace Spiewak, and Sveta Stoytcheva.
The Source and Beyond the Source
The Source + Beyond the Source Evaluation Framework by DePaul University Library is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Created by Firouzeh Rismiller, Holly Cerney, Susan Shultz, Grace Spiewak, and Sveta Stoytcheva.
Citing Sources
Citation styles provide rules for formatting your citations or references. Although there are many different citation styles, those most commonly used by students at College of DuPage are American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), and Chicago/Turabian. The style you should use is usually determined by the discipline or course in which you are working. Ask your instructor what style is required or recommended.
Citing Sources: Information to Record
Although every citation style is different, there are some standard elements to record:
- Title (of book or article and journal)
- Author
- Publication Date
- Publisher or source
- Start and end pages (for articles and book chapters)
For electronic sources such as Web pages, you should record this additional information:
- The date you accessed the site
- The digital object identifier (DOI) if there is one
- The URL (Web address) if there is no DOI
Tools for Citing Sources
See our Citing Sources Guide, which will walk you through citing multiple sources in different styles.
Or, try Purdue Owl for a detailed guide to using different citation styles.
You can also use a Citation Manager, or, a tool for creating and organizing citations. A few suggestions are below:
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NoodleToolsStudent research platform with MLA, APA and Chicago/Turabian bibliographies, notecards, outlining.
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ZoteroZotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research.
Your Librarian
Citation Managers
- NoodleToolsStudent research platform with MLA, APA and Chicago/Turabian bibliographies, notecards, outlining.
- EasyBibResources and citation guides for MLA, APA, and Chicago.
- MendeleyWith the Mendeley Reference Manager, you can easily organize and search your personal library, annotate documents and cite as you write.
- ZoteroZotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research.