Research is the systematic investigation of sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. Books, periodicals, online databases, the Internet and pamphlets are all possible sources of information.

The use of keywords, when searching for a subject on the Internet or in a library catalog, allows you to look for a specific word or word combinations.

• Keywords should represent the major concepts of your research.

• Keywords may be topics, geographic locations, names of companies/organizations, personal names, etc.

• Use Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT) to combine search terms. Use AND to narrow a search by combining two or more different concepts. Use OR for alternate concepts or synonyms. Use NOT to exclude words from the search.

• Try several different searches using different keyword combinations.

• Use "quotation marks" around specific phrases (words that go together in a particular order) to eliminate irrelevant results.

• Most Internet search engines have a Search Tips page to help you.

Researching Subject Areas

Each subject area has its own characteristics when it comes to researching information. Below we cover some research in four major subject areas.

• Researching in the Humanities
• Researching in the Social Sciences
• Researching in the Sciences
• Researching in History

Subject Headings

Subject headings are words that describe the book, journal, article or video. These words are from a controlled vocabulary, that is a standard set of uniform terms used to describe and categorize the contents.

• Subject headings can help you find relevant sources without having to do too many searches.

• When you find a source that is a good fit for the topic, look at the other subject headings assigned to it for more search ideas.

• A thesaurus may be helpful in finding possible subject headings.

Types of Resources

Depending on your topic, different types of resources (the web, newspapers, magazines, journals, books, etc.) may be more appropriate than others. You need to be aware of what kind of information is in each type of resource and who the intended audience is.

As an event develops, information about it is being generated and disseminated.  The first reports will show up on the Web, on TV, and on the radio Those first reports focus on getting the quick facts of who, what and where. As time passes, information filters through different types of resources. The level of coverage increases and becomes much more detailed and analytical. The timetable below (adapted from: UCLA Libraries "Flow of Information") outlines this process:

Periodicals

Periodicals are publications issued daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly and include newspapers, magazines, and journals.

• A periodical index is used to find articles by subject, author and sometimes article or periodical title.
  
• The periodicals indexed in electronic databases focus mainly on current events and issues.

• Pamphlets are paper documents that are smaller than books.
  
• Pamphlets are prepared by societies, government agencies or organizations rather than by single authors.
  
• Pamphlets may contain brief facts and statistics on a topic.

Books

Books are often the first place to look for information. Most topics, unless very new or very specialized, are likely to be included in books.

• Look for both general and specific books about the subject.
  
• The catalog tells the general subject of a book. It does not tell what is in each chapter.
  
• Look in the book's table of contents or index to see if your topic is included.
  
• Reference books provide researchers with concentrated information on specific subjects. These books may not be taken out of the Library. A few examples are:
   
  • General Encyclopedias. These books provide an introduction and overview of many topics.
  • Specialized Encyclopedias. The Encyclopedia of Sociology, for example, contains detailed articles on specific subjects in the field of Sociology.
  • Statistical reference sources. The Statistical Abstract of the United States, for example, will provide the numbers that may be needed to prove a point in your paper.

Databases

Magazines, journals and newspapers are frequently indexed in online databases. Sometimes the full text of the article is available online also. These databases are made available by subscription. Below are a few of the subscription databases available to you.