1. Develop your Research Topic:
2. Select Keywords from your Research Topic:
- Use Keywords for searching for Books/eBooks and the Article Databases.
- How many Sources do you need and do they have to be Scholarly or Popular Sources?
3. Search the Library's Resources -
Search for Books & eBooks:
- Books & eBooks provide background research.
- Background research gives you an overview and helps you to understand the main topic points.
- Keep track of your sources and citations as you find them.
Search the Databases to find Articles:
- Add Keywords to focus your search so that your topic is not too broad or too narrow.
- Getting too many results? Try narrowing your search by publication date range, so you get the most current results.
- Keep track of your sources and citations as you find them.
4. Evaluate your Sources:
- Ask yourself, do the sources fit and support your Research Topic?
- Are they scholarly or popular sources that fit the assignment requirements?
5. Create your Works Cited or Reference page:
- A Works Cited or Reference page list your sources and citations.
- It shows where you got the information to support your Research Topic and gives credit to that person or organization.
- It also shows that you did not plagiarize or copy someone else's work.
Need help? Ask a Librarian, we are always here to help you with your research assignments.