 Identify and develop your topic
Example: "What are the effects of genetically modified foods to human health ?" |
State your topic as a question. Identify the main concepts, categories, and keywords in your question. Main concepts are underlined in the example on the left. |
Find background on your topic
Example: "genetically modified food" is a synonym to "genetically engineered food" or "genetically modified food" or "genetically engineered organisms" or "genetically modified organisms", or "GMOs". |
Find background information first, then use more specific and recent sources. Read articles in general or specific encyclopedias to set the context for your research. Note the bibliographies at the end of the encyclopedia articles for any further readings. Look up your keywords in the indexes to subject encyclopedias, database indexing languages, or thesauri. Find synonyms and related words to your topic. You can use them in your search to find information on your topic. |
| Find books |
Search the library catalog. Use keyword searching for a narrow or complex search topic. Use subject searching for a broad subject. Print or write down the exact citation (author, title, etc.) and the location information (call number and type of book: reference, circulating, or folio). Note the status of the book (available or not). In the actual book, look at the index, table of contents, and note bibliographies for further reading. |
| Find periodical articles |
Use periodical indexes and abstracts (print, online, or both) to find citations to or full text articles. Choose the indexes and format best suited to your topic; ask a reference librarian to assist you with this. You can find articles by author, title, subject, or keyword using the periodical indexes in the Henry Whittemore Library. Print out or record the citation of the article. To find out if this library owns the periodical in which your article is published consult our "Periodical Holdings List" (located at search stations). If this library does not own your journal request an Interlibrary loan or ask a reference librarian to locate which other library owns this item. The full text of some periodical articles is now available from indexes like Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe, Infotrac databases, EBSCOhost databases, etc. |
| Find reviews |
Search the library periodical indexes (print or online) such as Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, Book Review Index, Book Review Digest, New York Times Index, InfoTrac, EBSCOhost, First Search (Book Review). For other information on fiction and nonfiction reviews as well as reviews on theatre, dance etc. , ask a reference librarian. |
| Use the Web |
Use search engines and subject directories to locate materials on the Web. Subject directories such as Yahoo, Google, WWW Virtual Library are good for general search. Use search engines such as HotBot, AltaVista, Exite, etc. for a more detailed or specific search. |
| Find video or audio recordings |
Search the library catalog. Limit your search by material type video or audio recording. |
| Find TV and radio transcripts |
Search the database Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe |
| Interlibrary loan (ILL) |
You can request an ILL for books this library does not own. |
| Find images |
Search the Library Catalog. Limit your search by material type "folios." Also search the image collections search engines on the Internet such as Google and Yahoo. |
| Find maps |
Search Library Catalog. Limit search to material type "maps". |
| Evaluate your sources |
See Handouts:
Evaluation of Web Information Resources: a Checklist
What is a Scholarly Journal?
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| Site your sources |
Make a record of your research. Write out or print the complete citation for each source you find. Format the citations in your bibliography using the Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) standards. See also Citing Electronic Information in the APA and MLA styles. If you are writing an annotated bibliography, see How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography. For assistance contact the Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA). |
