Sometimes the tags are also links that you can follow which will take you to lists of similar sources. Also, the UofL library offers a list of Research Guides which can help you find useful databases for finding sources. Review the works cited or bibliography section of sources that have already been helpful.
The sources they are using will probably be helpful to you also. The reference librarians in Ekstrom library right next door to the University Writing Center are available to help you with your research.
You can make appointments to meet with them here. During these appointments, they can help you find the most helpful databases, decide what sources might be most helpful, and more. What can the Writing Center do to help? UofL Writing Center Blog. Upcoming Events. Phone Email writing louisville. Check to see if other books in the same subject area contain relevant information.
Periodicals are printed material like magazines and newspapers. Depending on your topic, they may also contain useful information.
You can look up your keywords in a printed index such as the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, which covers popular magazines. Your library may have a number of periodical indexes in both printed and online forms. Check with your reference librarian. One little-known fact about public libraries is that they often pay for online resources that are generally inaccessible to the public. Using computers at the library, or sometimes by logging on at home with your library card number, you can gain access to information unattainable in any other way.
In addition, branch libraries are part of a larger library system. Although your neighborhood library may be physically tiny, it has access to all the resources of the whole city or county library system. Interlibrary loans of books and documents is also possible. Many libraries have loan agreements with other libraries out of county, out of state or out of country. Tell your librarian the book you want and he or she can probably obtain it for you. There are two primary ways to search for information on the Internet.
The first is to use a search engine such as Google or Bing. Search engines try to index everything on the Internet. The second way to search is using a subject portal. Subject portals list just a small portion of the information on the Internet, but the sites listed have been checked for relevance. There are science portals from several national governments including:. You can begin by entering your keywords one at a time to search for information in search engines and subject portals; however, this will probably bring up too much irrelevant information.
If you want some advanced tips on using the Internet to find information, the Evaluating Resources guide from the Library at the University of California, Berkeley is an excellent resource.
Before you begin Internet research, review internet safety with your parents. If you are finding too much information, for example pages and pages of irrelevant hits on Google or a periodical index, you need to narrow your search. You can narrow your search by borrowing some of the terms in your research questions.
For example, let's imagine that searching on "milk" brings up too much irrelevant information about cows. Here are the research questions we listed having to do with milk:. If you aren't finding enough information, you need to simplify your search. Let's imagine that searching on "measuring spiciness" isn't finding what you want. Try searching on:. That way, you will be sure you are on the right track. In many cases, a controversial topic can be ideal, so that you can exercise your ability to objectively explain differing positions, and even defend one if the assignment calls for that.
Use the guidelines given by your instructor to help pick your paper topic. It will be easier on you in the long run to write about a topic that fits the assignment. This step is pretty flexible; different people will research for a paper in different ways. After all, you still have to write your research paper. First off, skimming.
Get comfortable reading through things quickly. Learn how to identify key points and arguments without getting bogged down and reading every word. Next, find reliable resources. But, you cannot use that as a final source. You can use general sources like Wikipedia to get familiar with a topic, find keywords that can further drive your research, and quickly understand large amounts of information.
But, for the information you use in your paper, you have to find reliable resources. Take what you have learned from a Google search or Wikipedia article and dig deeper. Check out the sources on the article, use keywords from your internet search to search an academic database, or ask an expert whether or not what you learned is valid and if it is, where you can find a reliable source stating the same thing.
So, just to be clear: you can use Wikipedia as a starting point in your research, but you should not cite Wikipedia as one of the primary sources for your research paper. You can find an article that says anything you want it to say. Are the spires on the Cinderella Castle at Disney World removable in case of a hurricane? Did a cook attempt to assassinate George Washington by feeding him poisoned tomatoes? Just because you find one article stating that something is true, that does not necessarily mean it is a proven fact that you can use in your research.
Work to understand all of the different viewpoints and schools of thought on your topic. This can be done by reading a variety of articles, reading a book or article that gives an overview of the topic and incorporates different points of view, or talking to an expert who can explain the topic in depth. So you have all of this information, now what to do with it?
Step four is all about getting organized. Like research, different people have different preferences here. It can also depend on your assignment. If your teacher requires you to turn in a bibliography with your research paper think back to step 1; you ought to already know exactly what the assignment is by now! If you are just making one just for yourself, think about how you would like to organize your research.
It might make sense to bookmark resources on your web browser or make a digital bibliography that allows you to link the resources you found. You might prefer a printed list of your resources or you might want to write down all you have learned that is relevant to your project on notecards or sticky notes and organize your research paper on a table or the floor.
A starting point when writing a thesis might be to write a one-sentence answer to the question: what is your paper about? The answer might be something like the following examples:. But, what is important to remember, is that this is just a starting point. A thesis needs to be definitive, and should not be about you.
So, you might change the above answers to statements like:. Many universities require freshmen students to live on campus for their first year, which keeps students out of trouble, helps students get better grades, and increases their likelihood of staying in school.
Can you see the differences between the first set of sentences and the second set of thesis statements? It is also very important not to be too vague. If you look at the above examples, each of them makes a specific point about the topic. Another key to crafting a strong thesis statement is making sure that your thesis is arguable.
Another way to check whether or not your statement is arguable: Is Pride and Prejudice a book? There is no point in writing an entire essay about that obvious fact. Checking whether or not someone could argue with your thesis statement is a good way to make sure you have written a strong, specific thesis statement that will guide you as you write your paper and earn a good grade for your efforts.
After you have worked to create a specific, arguable, definitive thesis statement, this is another place that it could be helpful to check in with your professor, a writing center tutor, or another trusted educator or mentor. Show them your thesis statement and ask them if they think itis a powerful thesis that you will guide you as you build your essay.
Like a bibliography, the way that you create your outline may depend on your assignment. If your teacher asked you to turn in an outline, be sure to make an outline that follows the example, guidelines, or requirements you have been given. Creating an outline is really about structuring your paper.
If you have two main points in your thesis, three or five main sections might not work for your research paper. If the assignment asks you to introduce a topic, explain different opinions on the topic, and then choose and explain your opinion, then your paper probably needs three main sections, one for each of those objectives.
As you create an outline, think critically about what you are trying to explain or communicate in your research paper and what structure allows you to do that in a clear, organized way. It usually makes sense to have an introduction and conclusion, but what goes between will vary based on the contents of your essay. The outlining stage of producing your argument is a great time to think about bad forms of argumentation you should avoid.
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