Doing Your Research
Step 3: Research/Gathering Information
Not sure where to search for the information you need? Why can’t you just Google it? Remember, not everything is available online and free of charge, especially when you’re searching for academic resources. The Library has access to specialized databases you can use to find academic resources you won’t find for free on the Internet. Here are some ways you can start looking for information for your research assignment:
- If you are just getting started, view the Library’s Getting Started Searching tutorial.
- Want to make your Library and Google searching more effective? The video tutorial Choosing Keywords and Brainstorming Synonyms will help you learn how to work with search terms.
- To go beyond basic searching, watch the Library’s video tutorials on advanced searching topics:
- These three video tutorials will help you find the full-text versions of different types of resources in the Library:
It’s also important that you keep track of the sources you use and where you found specific pieces of information. Use this template to help you track your sources, which will make it easier when you have to reference your sources later.
Step 4: Reading/Evaluating Research
To use the information you have found in your research, you need to do more than simply looking things up and referencing the information in your assignment. You need to decide if the resources you use contain accurate information and are appropriate for use in an academic assignment.
- To help you decide if a resource (especially a website) is trustworthy, use the SIFT or CARS methods.
- If you need help deciding what type of resource would provide the best information or you’re not sure why it’s important to use a wide variety of resources, the following four video tutorials from the Library may help:
Next, you need to read the resource carefully so that you fully understand the content.
- Using active reading strategies will help you with comprehension and critical thinking.
- Journal articles can be challenging, so learn more about the format of a journal article to help you navigate through the article.