How to do Research
Choose a topic
Your instructor may have assigned you a topic or you may have
to come up with your own. To choose your own topic, consider what you have
talked about in class, what class readings have been discussed, and what your own
interests are. Write down some ideas or key words that you would like to
explore. Try to put them into a question. For example, if your topic is
substance abuse, you might pose the question: what are the effects of substance
abuse on the body?, or what types of people abuse substances? You may have several
questions or ideas, and that's okay. As you start to research, you may need to
broaden your topic or even change it depending on what information you find.
Gather background
information
After choosing a topic, you will need to gain a general
understanding of it by gathering background information. A good place to start
is a dictionary, encyclopedia, or other reference book. Reference books can be
general (like Britannica Online) or subject-specific, like The International
Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers. Ask a Librarian if you need help getting
started. Conducting a search on the Internet can also introduce you to what
kind of information is available on your topic. Background information should
give you an idea of terminology specific to your topic, as well as important
names, dates, or events.
Find books
Use the online
card catalog to search for books in the LRS. You can search by title,
author, keyword, call number, or subject heading. Subject headings are authorized or preferred
terms established by the Library of Congress and are used to categorize books.
Subject heading is the most effective way to search. You can discover the
subject heading of your topic by consulting the book, Library of Congress
Subject Headings, or by finding a book in the card catalog that is close to
your topic and seeing what subject headings that book is classified under.
Once you have found the books you want in the card catalog, write down the
complete call numbers. The LRS uses the Library of Congress classification
scheme, which groups similar books together on the shelves. The books are arranged on the shelf
by their call numbers in alphabetical order and then numerically within that section. All numbers after the third line are decimal points.
The call numbers must be read line by line. If you need help finding a book,
just ask a Librarian. Finally, browse the shelves around the call numbers you
wrote down to find other books on the same subject.
If you want a book that is
at an SVCC sister campus, you can request it through Intercampus
Loan. Intercampus loans usually arrive at your campus in a few days. If you
want a book that is not owned by either campus, you can request it through Interlibrary
Loan. This means we will borrow it from another library.
Find articles
You can find periodical articles by browsing the current periodicals in the
Library, or by searching an online database. To find a database that would be
most useful to your topic, ask a Librarian or choose a subject
area. Some databases provide the full text of
articles and other only provide a abstract, or
summary. Most databases can be searched by keyword or subject. To get the full
text of an article that you found in an abstract database, request it through Interlibrary
Loan.
Other
Resources on Research
Book at Christanna
Campus
The Oxford Guide to
Library Research
Z710 M23 1998
MLA Handbook for Writers of
Research Papers
Ref. LB2369 G53 1999
The Research Process:
Books and Beyond
Z710 .B642 1997
1001 Ideas for English papers:
Term Papers, Projects, Reports, and Speeches
PE1479.C7 M54 1994
Real A+ College Term
Papers
Ref. LB2369 .S74 1999
Successful Research
Papers in 12 Easy Steps
LB1047.3 .M47 2000
How to Write Research
Papers
LB2369 .S67 1998
How to Write Term Papers and
Reports
LB1047.3 .B38 1997
A Manual for Writers of
Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
LB2369 .T8 1996
Writing Research Papers:
A Guide to the Process
LB1047.3 .W44 1997
10 Steps in Writing the
Research Paper
PE1478 .M3 1994
Books at Daniel Campus
The Oxford Guide
to Library Research
Z710 M23 1998
MLA Handbook for Writers of
Research Papers
Ref. LB2369 G53 1999
1001 Ideas for English papers :
Term Papers, Projects, Reports, and Speeches
PE1479.C7 M54 1994
Successful Research
Papers in 12 Easy Steps
LB1047.3 .M47 2000
10,000 Ideas for Term papers,
Projects, and Reports
LB1047.3 .L35 1991
A Manual for Writers of
Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
LB2369 .T8 1987
Writing Research Papers:
A Guide to the Process
LB1047.3 .W44 1997
The Student's Guide to
Doing Research on the Internet
LB2369 .C28 1995
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