When researching consider the following:
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- Do you have a topic and a concise understanding of it? If not, you might want to get background information on your topic by utilizing encyclopedias which cover information in a comprehensive matter. If you have not decided in a topic yet, get ideas for topics using encyclopedias or the opposing viewpoint series.
- Read the assigment carefully and identify the type of sources you need to use. Is your professor asking for primary, secondary, or scholarly sources? If no criteria was given by your professor, you still want to evaluate your sources. Make sure to evaluate the authority of the authors, the timeliness of the information, the perspective of authors, the intended audience, and the relevance to your research.
- Once you know what type of sources you must use and understand your topic better, think about where you can find information that meets both criteria. Where would you find government sources? Where would you find scholarly journal articles? By using the library's catalog and databases instead of Google, you will retrive more relevant and reliable information. It might take you time to familiarize yourself with the library tools but at the end you will save time and frustration. If you do not know what library tool to use, Ask a Librarian.
- When you are accessing the library's electronic resources on campus you will be automatically sent to the resource itself, but when you are off campus you will be asked for your credentials. Only UTEP faculty, students and staff have access. See the remote access box in this page.
- Once you are searching in the library’s catalog or library’s database, you need to think about what terms to use in the search box. From your hypothesis what are the key terms or concepts? Type key terms and not full sentences. It is also important that you consider other terminology, remember authors and indexers might use different term than you.
- From the information you found see if there are references listed, these can direct you to further relevant information.
- Be patient. Good research takes time and don't forget to take notes along the way.
