University of 8 Mai 1945, Guelma

Department of English

Online Research/Master2 lecturer Fayrouz MERABTI

Lesson Five: Tools to Search Scholarly Literature

1. What is an Online Source?

An online source is a material researcher can find online. It can be an online newspaper,

magazine, Television websites such as NBC and CNN, peer reviewed journals, web pages and

blogs, which are also a form of an online information. Some other names for Online Sources

are: Electronic Sources, Web sources and Internet sources. Since so many sources are available

online, it is important to know which one is reliable and which one is not.

With so many online resources, it is sometimes difficult to narrow down one’s search and

find not only reliable and useful academic information, but information that is also free. This

lesson picks a few of free Search Engines and Reference Works for research, which will help

students to search online effectively in everyday situations.

2. Some of Best Online/Digital Libraries:

It is a shame more people are not aware of the wide array of free online libraries. Databases,
books, videos, audio recordings and e-books are available, just waiting to be viewed and used.
This guide will help avid readers1, serious researchers alike get the most out of free web
libraries.

2.1. Internet Archive:

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An avid reader is a reader who is eager to get hold of latest releases or bestsellers in his favourite genres

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 University of 8 Mai 1945, Guelma

Department of English

Online Research/Master2 lecturer Fayrouz MERABTI

The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal

access to all knowledge" and non-profit library of millions of free books, movies and software.

It is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artefacts in digital form. Like

a paper library, this digital library provides free access to researchers, historians, scholars, the

print disabled, and the general public. Its mission is to provide Universal Access to All

Knowledge (Internal Archive Official website, 2020)

2.2. The US Library of Congress

Is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto

national library of the United States, with thousands of articles, photographs, prints,

newspapers recordings, collections and exhibits focusing on the history and culture of the

United States. The Library even offers a digital reference service where anyone can “Ask

Librarian,” either by providing an email for reply or using an online chat service. The United

States’ most precious documents are housed at the National Archive. Using its Archival

Research Catalog (ARC), web researchers can view ARC galleries about American history and

science, and they can obtain copies of The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence

(Library of Congress official website)

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 University of 8 Mai 1945, Guelma

Department of English

Online Research/Master2 lecturer Fayrouz MERABTI

2.3. The Smithsonian’s Digital Library

The Smithsonian Libraries are a hidden national treasure, where experts come to test and

expand knowledge and where America and the world can turn for authentic answers. The

Libraries has over seven thousand rare books, journals and manuscripts online on subjects

ranging from advertising and aeronautics to zinc sculpture and Zuni cuisine, though the focus

is on the broad topics of History and Culture, Art and Design, and Science and Technology

(Smithsonian Libraries Official website).

2.4. SCI-HUB Digital Library

It is a digital library website that provides free access to millions of research papers and

books, without regard to copyright, by bypassing publishers' paywalls2 in various ways. Sci-

Hub was founded by Alexandra Elbakyan in 2011 in Kazakhstan in response to the high cost

of research papers behind paywalls. According to Sci-HUB Team this digital library is “the

first website in the world to provide mass and public access to research papers” (Sci-HUB

Official Website).

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(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the
site.

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 University of 8 Mai 1945, Guelma

Department of English

Online Research/Master2 lecturer Fayrouz MERABTI

3. Algerian Digital Libraries and Platforms

3.1. ASJP/ SNDL/PNST

Algerian Scientific Journal Platform (ASJP) is an electronic publishing platform for

Algerian scientific journals put online as part of the implementation of the national scientific

and technical information system. The platform is developed and managed by CERIST (Centre

de Rechercheur sur Information Scientfique et Technique). this centre was founded by the

Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

SNDL (System National de la Documentation en Ligne) is another Algerian digital platform

also developed and managed by CERIST. It gives researchers access to a very rich and varied

national and international electronic documentation, covering all areas of teaching and

scientific research. It includes several categories of electronic resources: resources acquired

through subscriptions from authorized suppliers: They are classified into four main areas: Life

and earth sciences, Sciences and techniques, Human and social sciences, Multidisciplinary

(MESRS3 Official Website).

PNST (Le Portail National de Signalement des Thèses) is a global system for accessing

magister and doctoral theses defended in Algeria. It covers all the thesis production circuit:

from the proposal of the subject to the reporting and dissemination of the thesis.

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Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

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 University of 8 Mai 1945, Guelma

Department of English

Online Research/Master2 lecturer Fayrouz MERABTI

4. List of All Digital Libraries Mentioned Above

Internet Archive: https://archive.org/index.php

 SNDL: https://www.sndl.cerist.dz/index.php?p=1

 PNST: https://www.pnst.cerist.dz/pnstARABE/index.php

By the end of the session students are tasked to conduct search and collect literature related to
their Master dissertation topic using different online digital libraries mentioned above. Given
below are link of two video tutorials on how to create an account and how to use Algerian
digital libraries platforms:

ASJP: https://youtu.be/kS_ytDqq6uE

SNDL: https://youtu.be/mCUoZZlKLx8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v18YSBC_T8