Welcome to your class research guide. This guide will help you discover and navigate the resources available to you. Use the tabs at the top for links to databases, citation help, tutorials and general research. Email me or utilize the Ask a Librarian feature below to ask questions about any aspect of research. Click on the Need Help? tab above for more ways to get help with your research.
Before you begin diving into the databases, take some time to do some brainstorming or mind mapping. It's helpful to get some keywords flowing! Try to avoid long strings of words or full sentences.
This worksheet guides you through the process of brainstorming.
Want to try mind mapping? Download this worksheet, and give it a try with some keywords.
Finding reliable, unbiased information on the free Web can be tough and VERY time consuming! Apply this test (C.R.A.A.P.) to evaluate the websites you find on Google and other search engines. There are faster ways to get to quality information.
site: .gov (for government sites), site: .edu (educational institutions) or site: .org (for organizations), etc...
For example: site:.gov flu vaccines
Think of your topic using this example:
benefits to the local economy of increased funding for renewable energy
break it into just the key words that best describe that idea…
and link those words together in a kind of math equation…
like so:
box 1: renewable or green
AND box 2: energy
AND box 3: jobs or employment
Things to be aware of:
put a different idea on each line
link synonyms together with the word “or”
How do you find keywords in the first place?
strategy: start with basic sources to learn about your topic and what words others use to describe your topic, e.g.: your textbook, Credo Reference, Wikipedia, Google. Use brainstorming and mindmaps to generate ideas and keywords. You can use these visuals organize your thoughts as you research.
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