FIRST, DEVELOP
YOUR TOPIC
Does your topic concern a particular person,
event, geographic area or time period? Develop a focus or point of view -
for example, what question do you want to answer about your topic? See the page "Getting
Started Strategies" by the WWU Writing Center for additional help. Try to state your topic as
a question. Then, identify the main concepts or keywords. Remember,
if your topic is too narrow or obscure, materials will be difficult or impossible to find; if it's
too broad, you won't be able to cope with time or length constraints.
NEXT, CONSIDER THE KIND OF INFORMATION
YOU'LL NEED
Will you need historical
or current materials?
Should you consult primary sources?
Should you include technical data or statistics?
BASIC RESEARCH STRATEGY, STEP-BY-STEP
Adapt this strategy to your
needs. The time you spend on each step will vary according to your topic.
1. Find an overview
The library has many
encyclopedias on specific topics.
An overview or summary from an
encyclopedia, dictionary, or textbook provides:
A brief overview of
the topic
Significant names and dates associated with the topic
Terminology specific to the topic
Related subjects and terms which might be used when searching for books and
articles
Other sources where more information might be found
You can test your main concepts or keywords.
If you haven't decided on a point of view, an overview will help you focus
your research and provide a context.
It often includes a list of books and
articles for further reading.
2. Find books
Books are more comprehensive. In the
Library Catalog, look up any books cited in your overview resources. Find additional materials by clicking on the subject headings listed in the
catalog record, or browse on the bookshelves
in relevant call number areas.
3. Find journal articles
Journal articles provide sharply focused information on
recent events, discoveries or research. They do not
provide background. Were any articles cited in your overview or in the books
you've found? If not, or if you need more, look up your topic in an article index or database.
Article database page:
*
Ask for help or see the publication on
How
to Locate Articles.
4. Look for a bibliography,
statistics, etc.
A bibliography is a published list of book and/or
article citations. If "annotated", each book or article
is summarized. The Library will not have a bibliography on every topic. Use the
Library Catalog, to find out if the books and articles are available.
Other forms
of information include statistics, government publications,
pamphlets and much more. Ask for help at the Reference Desk.
5. Look for information on the World Wide Web
Use Internet search engines and subject directories
to find materials on the Web.
6. Primary Sources/Secondary
Sources
Guide:
http://www.library.wwu.edu/ref/subjguides/history/primarysourceguide.htm
Primary sources are
the original words of a writer - such as a novel, speech, eyewitness account,
letter, autobiography, interview, or results of original research...
Secondary sources are works about someone or about someone's
accomplishments... writings about the primary sources and about the
authors who produce primary material.
YOU ALSO NEED TO EVALUATE YOUR
SOURCES
| What is the scope or content?
|
Is the discussion
of your topic detailed and comprehensive?
Evaluate books by skimming prefaces, tables of contents and indexes.
Evaluate articles by scanning them or reading abstracts (summaries). |
| Who is the intended
audience? |
Popular sources
written for the general public oversimplify, provide only partial information,
and generally do not include bibliographies (lists of sources cited).
Scholarly sources are more challenging to read, but offer greater depth
and detail. They also usually include footnotes or bibliographies. |
| Is the author an authority?
|
Try to learn something
about him/her.
What is the author's institutional affiliation or educational background? |
| Is it a scholarly press?
|
Some publishers,
especially university presses, publish works appropriate for scholarly
research while other publish popular works for the general public.
|
| What is the date of your
source? |
The only useful
sources on a topic that is new and changing rapidly are those just published.
If you need an historical perspective, use older books and articles. |
BE SURE TO KEEP A RECORD
Keep a detailed list of
all sources you intend to use. You must cite them in your footnotes and bibliography.
For information see the page
Citation and Style
Guides
BOOKS TO HELP YOU WRITE YOUR PAPER
- The college
student's research companion / by Arlene Rodda Quaratiello. Ref. Z710
.Q37 1997
- The Prentice Hall guide for college writers /
Stephen Reid. Writing Center: PE1408 .R424 1992b
- Research and writing in the disciplines / Donald
Zimmerman, Dawn Rodrigues. Wilson 3E -Books: PE1478 .Z55 1992
- Researching and writing in the social sciences /
Christine A. Hult. Ref. H62 .H725 1996
- Political science
research methods / Janet Buttolph Johnson, Richard A. Joslyn, H.T.
Reynolds. Ref. JA71 .J55 2001
Plagiarism at WWU - -
http://www.library.wwu.edu/ref/plagiarism.html
Plagiarism
is a form of academic misconduct in which an individual submits or presents
the work of another person as his or her own. Scholarship quite properly
rests upon examining and referring to the thoughts and writings of others.
However, w hen excerpts are used in paragraphs or essays, the author
must be acknowledged through footnotes or other accepted practices.
Nov. 15, 2004
rev.9,2007