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How to Do Research: Getting Started
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 direction to your research project.
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! Get in Print or Get as an E-book
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 above.
- 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.
This resource is being supported through collaborative efforts between the KU Libraries and the State Library of Kansas.
- 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.
- Worldwide political science abstracts This link opens in a new windowWorldwide Political Science Abstracts provides abstracts and indexing of the international literature of political science and international relations, along with complementary fields, including international law and public administration/policy. The database provides abstracts of journal articles and citations to book reviews drawn from over 750 core serials publications and also provides abstracts of books, book chapters, dissertations, and working papers.
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.
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University of Kansas
1425 Jayhawk Blvd, Rm 519
Lawrence, KS 66045