Develop your Ideas with Additional Information
Scholarships might require essays or research proposals where additional information would be immensely helpful. Check the requirements for your scholarship.
For instance, the Fulbright application requires you to submit a Statement of Grant Purpose. This 2-page document outlines Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of what you are proposing for your Fulbright year. If you are pursuing a research project, developing a strong, feasible and compelling project is the most important aspect of a successful Fulbright application. The first step is to familiarize yourself with the program summary for your host country in order to verify the type of grant you can propose. The resources below can help you explore and refine a research project.
Background Research
Here are some suggestions. Consult with a Librarian for more assistance.
1) Reference & News Sources (for current news)
Reference sources, such as those in Credo Reference, can get you started with background information on topics and references to further your research. News sources can help you find recent trends and current affairs. Under the Country tab, BBC News & Under the Language tab, NHK for Japanese news are some other sources. Many of our library reference & news sources are online, including:
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowOnline reference tools for overall background information.
- Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new windowCurrent news from ethnic, minority and native press. Full-text newspapers, magazines and journals. ADVANCED SEARCH provides a Language filter for articles. Click on PUBLICATIONS, then Language & More, for publications with recent news about other countries & possibly in other languages.
- US Newsstream (Proquest Newspapers) This link opens in a new windowCurrent news. Full text access to 600 U.S. newspapers, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. ADVANCED SEARCH provides a Language filter for articles. Click on PUBLICATIONS, then Language & More, for publications with recent news about other countries & possibly in other languages.
2) Subject Research Guides
Subject research guides are created by our librarians and will point you to the best starting places for research in particular subjects.
3) Chester Fritz Library Books & Articles Search
Our library catalog that lets you search for books, articles, videos and more on any topic. Enter a few keywords to get started. Once you've done a search, you can narrow results by the type of source, when they were published, and by subject. The ADVANCED SEARCH provides a Language filter for sources.
4) Academic Search Ultimate
- Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window
Academic Search Ultimate offers an enormous collection of full-text journals, providing users access to critical information from many sources unique to this database. In addition, it includes peer-reviewed full text for STEM research, as well as for the social sciences and humanities. Scholarly content covers a broad range of important areas of academic study, including anthropology, engineering, law, sciences and more.
5) Web of Science
- Web of Science This link opens in a new windowThis database lets you search for scholarly research on many different topics. Enter keywords. Narrow your results by additional choices on the left side of the results page.
Narrowing by Web of Science Categories is a way to explore different aspects of your topic.
You can also search by authors and organizations/universities relevant to countries of interest, which can be helpful in other aspects of your application.
6) Medline Complete
- Medline Complete This link opens in a new windowAll areas of medicine, including dentistry and nursing.
7) Literature Reviews of your field of study
- Annual Reviews This link opens in a new windowCritical reviews written by leading scientists. Published annually for 29 disciplines within the Biomedical, Physical, and Social Sciences.
- Check databases with your topic AND ("literature review*" OR "review of the literature")
- Find out more on our Literature Reviews Research Guide
8) Government & Public Policy
- HeinOnline This link opens in a new windowIncludes multidisciplinary and legal journals, essential government documents, state & federal case law, and international resources.
9) Statistics -- a few options -- Ask for additional help
- World Health Organization (WHO)Health statistics worldwide.