Contact Your Librarian
Getting Started on the Research Road
- Always start with a thorough review of your professor's instructions, examples, and supplemental support. What is required of the assignment? What topics are allowed? What is the page requirement? How many outside sources do you need?
- A strong thesis statement is crucial. Purdue OWL provides some direction here.
- The pages on the left provide direction on how you might search for academic books, articles, and web information.
- You may need to "think outside of the research box"; that is, what keywords related to your thesis statement might you use when searching the 'General' databases? Can you find a critical analysis through our literature databases or a book through the online catalog that is connected to your theme? Should you search the 'History' databases for information on the time period? Would author biographical information from a 'Biography' database?
- If you have questions during the research process, don't hesitate to reach out to your professor or librarian.