About
Research Tools
Use The Craft of Research to help conceptualize and develop your research project.
Chapter 3: From Topics to Questions guides you through the process of asking questions until you arrive at the research question you want to answer.
Chapter 4: From Questions to a Problem helps you shape your questions into a hypothesis that will give your research project direction.
Chapter 5: From Problems to Sources guides you through the process of finding relevant and authoritative information.
...And don't forget to ask a librarian for help!
WATCH: How to Start Your Term Paper Research
Boolean searching (DuQuesne U)
Where to start searching
Where to Start Searching
IMPORTANT! The tool that you should use to start searching for sources depends on the nature and scope of your topic. For some topics, you might want to start searching the Library Catalog for books. For other topics, you may need to begin by searching the journal literature in article databases.
To begin searching for books about your topic, go to the Library Catalog. For additional help, click on the BOOKS tab above.
To begin searching for journal articles about your topic, choose from the databases below. For additional databases, click on the ARTICLES & DATABASES tab.
- Academic search complete This link opens in a new windowContains full-text peer-reviewed journal articles as well as newspapers, blogs, wire services, and general interest periodicals from across all academic disciplines. Indexes various journals in Slavic studies, including many Russian science journals.
- MLA International Bibliography (EBSCO)Recommended for topics in LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. Content in both English and foreign languages. Coverage includes literature from all over the world - Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America. Folklore is represented by folk literature, music, art, rituals, and belief systems.
- Linguistics & language behavior abstracts (LLBA) This link opens in a new windowIndexes and abstracts articles in the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Also the study of descriptive, historical, comparative, theoretical, and geographical linguistics.
- Historical abstracts This link opens in a new windowCovers the history of the world from 1450 to the present (excluding the United States and Canada which are covered in the database "America: History and Life"). Indexes the journal and book literature. Essential for studying Slavic and Eurasian history.
- Political science complete This link opens in a new windowCaptures the breadth of the subject with national and international perspectives, drawing from scholarly, professional, and peer-reviewed sources. Offers considerable full-text content.
Searching for Sources Effectively
Searching for Sources Effectively
Follow the Bibliographic Trail: One proven method for gathering reliable information efficiently is to follow the citations or references from one source to another. The author's bibliography can lead you to other sources on the topic.
Identify Keywords: Before searching the Library Catalog or other databases, take a few minutes to write down all the words that describe your topic. Use these words in keyword or Boolean searches.
Boolean Searching: Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to connect keywords for phrases in your searches. Example: (solar OR wind) AND energy AND Russia NOT Moscow.
Google Tools
- Google news This link opens in a new window
Slavic & Eurasian Collection
Watson Library - Level 5 East
University of Kansas
1425 Jayhawk Blvd, Rm 519
Lawrence, KS 66045