Think about:
State your topic in one sentence. This helps you identify keywords/phrases that describe your topic.
How many pages do you need to fulfill your assignment? Knowing how many pages you need to write helps pinpoint just how much information you will need.
How many and what kind of sources are required? Knowing how many and what type of sources you need helps you choose a database and limit to the sources you need whether it be scholarly journals, books, newspapers, and/or statistics.
Reference materials are a good way to begin your research:
Topic Overview
Top Formation (how to think about your topic)
Topic Breakdown (relevant issues)
Vocabulary/Terms (help with which keywords to use when searching for additional sources)
Bibliography (list of additional relevant books and/or articles)
Our Library has access to a wide variety of electronic encyclopedias which provide a broad overview of your topic and will aid you in preparing an outline for your paper. Enter your keyword(s) and/or phrase(s) in the search box. Try using different words and combination of words to get at the topic you are researching.
Use our list of Encyclopedia and Dictionary databases to find both general and subject specialized encyclopedia databases. Subject specialized encyclopedias are very useful in understanding your topic and may be found in these databases:
Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences
Gale eBooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library)
International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences