Plough Library - How to Research a Topic

Select a topic, narrow or broaden your topic, and identify keywords to search for your topic.

Put your topic in context by looking in general information sources. Find major concepts and theories for your topic.

Find information in the library such as books, videos, and other material that relates to your topic. Get help with the Dewey Decimal System.

Use periodical indexes and online databases to find articles. Learn the difference between scholarly and popular articles.

Find information on the Internet that relates to your topic. Evaluate the information you find for reliability and scholarly content.

Learn what plagiarism is, see examples, and acquire strategies for avoiding plagiarism in your papers.

Cite your print and electronic sources correctly in MLA, APA, and Turabian styles.