Welcome to the DCTC Library's Interior Design subject guide. On this page you will find helpful information about the research and writing process, including links to help you evaluate and cite your sources.
The 2nd page has information about the resources in our library and how to find them using our catalog.
The 3rd page is a gateway to the Library's best online resources and web sites for the Interior Design program, including some tutorials for these resources.
Let's get started!
Abraham Lincoln famously said you shouldn't believe everything you read online. And 82% of all statistics are made up.
There's a lot of misinformation out there. Digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield developed the SIFT method to help students evaluate information and make better decisions about what sources to trust:
Stop
Investigate the source
Find better coverage
Trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context
Here are more guides to help you evaluate sources of information:
- Criteria for Evaluating Information (Otis College of Art and Design)
- Evaluating Information (Johns Hopkins University)
- Evaluating Resources (UC Berkeley)
- Evaluating Sources of Information (Purdue University)
- Online Verification Skills with Mike Caulfield (YouTube)
There are different styles for citing the sources you use in your assignments, but writing for English and the humanities usually requires MLA (Modern Language Association) style. The Purdue Online Writing Lab has an excellent guide to using MLA style, with lots of examples:
You can also go straight to the source:
Our catalog and databases provide citations for the books, videos, and articles you find in them. Just look for a link that says Cite or Citation, then select MLA style. It's easy to copy and paste citations into your bibliography!
"Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials."
This definition of plagiarism comes from page 1 of DCTC's Student Code of Conduct.
Citing your sources like this or in a bibliography is an essential part of the research process. It allows others to verify your information and gives credit to previous researchers and writers for their work.
The Center for Student Success offers tutoring to all DCTC students, including help with writing your paper and citing your sources. You can schedule an appointment by calling 651-423-8420 or visiting room 2-101.
Behind the circulation desk we have our Course Resources collection. These are books and videos that instructors have asked us to reserve for certain classes. Books on reserve must be used in the Library unless you have permission from your instructor to check them out overnight. Click on this image to see which books we currently have on reserve for Interior Design courses.
Use our catalog, OneSearch, to find the books and videos on our shelves, plus ebooks and streaming videos.
The best way to begin your search is to enter one or two keywords on your topic. To narrow your results, use the Modify My Results options on the left side of the screen. You can also click on a relevant title and click on one of its subject headings to focus your search on that particular topic.
Please ask a librarian if you need help locating anything you find in our catalog.
If we don't have the book, video, or article you're looking for, you can request it via interlibrary loan (ILL) and it will come to you. It's easy! E-mail library@dctc.edu to let us know what you're looking for and we'll do the rest.
Our collection is organized by Library of Congress call numbers. If you like to browse, most books about interior design are shelved in the NK and TH call number ranges. Ask a librarian if you need help finding anything.
Here are just a few of our books about interior design
Magazines are a great place to find examples of interior design.
We have print issues of Better Homes and Gardens from the past three years, plus online coverage from 2017 to the present.
We have print issues of House Beautiful from the past three years, plus online coverage from 1999 to the present via EBSCO and Gale.
We have print issues of Midwest Living from the past three years, plus online coverage from 2017 to the present.
We have print issues of Southern Living from the past three years, plus online coverage from 2010 to the present.
We have ebook versions of many of the books assigned in DCTC's Architectural Technology and Interior Design programs. Check this list before you buy your textbooks!
- Architectural Graphic Standards, Student Edition, 12th ed. (2017)
- The Bluebeam Guidebook: Game-changing Tips and Stories for Architects, Engineers, and Contractors (2018)
- Building Codes Illustrated, 7th ed. (2021)
- Building Construction Illustrated, 6th ed. (2019)
- The Codes Guidebook for Interiors, 8th ed. (2022)
- Fundamentals of Building Construction, 7th ed. (2019)
- Interior Design Reference + Specification Book (2018)
- NKBA Kitchen and Bathroom Planning Guidelines with Access Standards, 2nd ed. (2016)
- SketchUp for Interior Design: 3D Visualizing, Designing, and Space Planning (2014)
- Structure for Architects: A Primer (2012)
- Wild Things: The Material Culture of Everyday Life (2020)
LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda.com, offers thousands of self-paced video courses and tutorials. DCTC's subscription ended in 2023 but most public libraries in the Twin Cities region offer LinkedIn Learning. All you need is your (free) public library card. Click on your public library below to get started.
Once you've logged into your LinkedIn Learning account, you can browse or search for courses and tutorials. I recommend clicking on the Browse button at the top of the screen, then clicking on Creative in the left margin, then clicking on AEC for architecture, engineering, and construction topics. Under Explore AEC topics, choose Interior Design and you'll find many hours of content.
Many of the International Code Council's International Codes (I-Codes) are available free online, including:
Fairchild Books Interior Design Library is an excellent resource for students of architecture and inclusive and interior design. It includes:
Design Portfolios: Presentation and Marketing for Interior Designers, 3rd ed.
Diane M. Bender, 2017
Human Factors in the Built Environment, 2nd ed.
Linda L. Nussbaumer, 2018
Color Plus Design: Transforming Interior Space, 3rd ed.
Ron Reed, 2021
Interior Design Fundamentals
Steven B. Webber, 2020
- American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
- ASID - Minnesota Chapter
- Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ)
- Interior Design Society (IDS)
- International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
- Minnesota Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design
- National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA)
Here are just a few of the ebooks about interior design you'll find in our EBSCO eBook Collection:
Spatial Strategies for Interior Design
Ian Higgins, 2015
Drawing for Interior Design
Drew Plunkett, 2014
Interior Design
Jenny Gibbs, 2010
There are millions of full-text articles in our EBSCO, Gale, and ProQuest databases. The best way to begin your search is to enter one or two keywords on your topic. Each database is different, but there will be ways to limit and focus your results so that you find the most relevant and useful articles available.
Our EBSCO databases are an excellent place to start your search for magazine and journal articles.
Our Gale databases are another great place to find magazine and journal articles.
Search hundreds of U.S. newspapers, newswires, and news sites with ProQuest U.S. Newsstream.
Please visit the Library or e-mail library@dctc.edu if you have any questions about our online resources or if you'd like help finding articles on your topic.