Libraries

Resources for German Studies Research Skills: Develop Topic

This library guide provides resources for key research skills for German studies majors and minors.

Finding a Research Topic

The answers to these four questions will help define your research project or topic:

  • What are you going to do? The subject of your research.
  • Why are you going to do it? The reason for this research being necessary or interesting.
  • How are you going to do it? The research methods that you will use to carry out the project.
  • When are you going to do it? The program or timeline of the work.

Research tutorial: Developing your topic

Source: UNC Library

Developing a research topic

Source: University of Kentucky Libraries

Brainstorming Part One: The Basics

Brainstorming Part Two

Brainstorming Part Three

Keywords

Source: Pfau Library, California State University, San Bernardino

Combining Search Terms - Using Boolean

Search Strategies

Well-developed SEARCHING SKILLS are at the core of good research.  Using effective search strategies is vital to finding relevant sources.  Selecting appropriate KEYWORDS and using BOOLEAN SEARCHES will greatly improve the quality and focus of your search results, especially while using DATABASES.

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