Library Research: A Step-By-Step Guide

Use this guide to learn more about the research process

Starting with background info

Why Start with Background Information?

An overview of your broad topic area helps you "explore the conversation" by looking at different viewpoint from a non-judgmental standpoint.  You can learn the following:

  • what the key issues are and how you may want to refine your topic
  • who are the stakeholders (the groups or individuals this topic concerns)
  • a context of how your topic relates to the other issues that surround it
  • a historical perspective on your topic
  • specialized vocabulary or search words that are used in your field (you will use these words for searches later in your research process)

Searching and using reference books

How to Use a Reference Article Effectively

  • Find a quick overview of the key issues and identify the stakeholders this topic concerns
  • Get ideas of how to narrow and focus your topic
  • Learn alternate search words or specialized vocabulary that are used in the field
  • Use those words and concepts as search words to find other books, journals, videos and websites

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Reference Books Through Google Books

Use Google Books Advanced Search to look for additional reference books and articles that have been published on your topic.

Google Books Advanced Search tips:

  • Enter your topic into the box titled "with all of the words" For example: Electric Cars
  • Enter the following words into the box title "with at least one of the words": encyclopedia reference handbook
  • Click on the button "Limited preview and full view"
  • Limit your search results to recently published books by entering a year range in the Publication Date field. For example: Enter 2011 and 2016 to limit your search to only books published during that time period

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How to Effectively Read a Reference Article

Highlight Key Concepts and use those as keywords for additional searching

  • Find important words or concepts in your article

  • Use those as search words to find additional books, journals, videos and websites

  • In the Gale Ebooks database you can select text and then highlight and add notes to the articles

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Digital reference books

Digital Reference Books

  1.  Click the library database links below to access digital reference books and subject encyclopedias
  2. First, try a broad search on your topic, such as:
    • genetically modified foods
    • biotech foods
  3. Then try narrower searches such as:  
    • genetically modified foods nutrition
    • genetically modified foods famine
    • genetically modified foods economic development