Before you dive into your library research, make sure your topic is "researchable" and worthy of your time.
- Analyze the topic you have chosen. What are the key concepts?
- Get a basic understanding of your topic by searching online or in library databases. This is where you might search for very general concepts, using the "Search Everything" Tab (on the library homepage) or you might look for information on your topic using the databases:
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia or Gale Virtual Reference Library
- As you gain knowledge of your topic, begin thinking about what arguments you want to write. Remember, your arguments should be logical and reasonable. If you select an illogical argument, you may be unable to find supporting evidence for that it in published literature.
- Use the library databases to search for the key concepts you identified. Select articles that are available in full text, and be sure that you can read and understand the articles. Some technical or scientific writing may be difficult to understand without specialized knowledge.
