Getting Started

• First Steps
• Locating Background Information
• Narrowing Your Topic
• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Examples of Primary & Secondary Sources

First Steps

You have a research paper due, and only a broad topic, like Vikings or diabetes. Your research process should include the following steps, preferably in this order:

1. Get a better understanding of your topic by locating background information (see below).
2. Begin to narrow down your big topic to a smaller one by considering the information you found doing your background search.
   • Look at more condensed sections of research in your broad topic.
     Example: Diabetes -- narrowed to -- juvenile diabetes and African Americans or diabetes and obesity
   • Start determining key terms to complete searches on, taking into account the different word choices used in each field.
3. Look for books in our online catalog to find print materials about your topic.
   Tip: If the book is particularly helpful, look at the materials the author used in the back to find more relevant sources!
4. Use our online databases to find current, peer-reviewed articles.
   Tip: If the article is particularly helpful, look at the reference list at the end to find more relevant sources!
   Tip: The filter at the top of the database list can help you find databases that match your research discipline.
5. Start reading! Research is a process, so it may take you time to find relevant and appropriate articles and books for your paper or presentation.
6. For help with drafting, editing, and writing your paper, check out King's OWL.

Locating Background Information

Narrowing Your Topic

After locating and reading some background information on your topic in an encyclopedia, you probably now have a broad general topic. At this point you have a two-fold goal: turn the broad topic into a narrower topic and turn a narrow topic into a focused research question. You may find it helpful to read about thesis statements.

Preliminary searching can be very useful for narrowing a topic. Here are some tips for narrowing a topic:

• State your topic in the form of a research question.
• Ask "how" or "why" questions rather than who, what, when, where questions or yes/no questions.
• Be specific. Focus on a particular person, place, or time period.
• Identify keywords and concepts. You will use these words to search for sources.
• Perform a preliminary search in a few key resources to see what is available for the topic:
  • Online Catalog (Find Books)
  • Find Articles
    Use the filter to limit to ***First Steps***

Too many resources? Narrow your search:

• Use specific words. For example, instead of sports use basketball.
• Add more words to your search.
• Use the Boolean operators AND to narrow your search. AND searches for both terms in a search statement such as ethics AND morals.

Too few resources? Broaden your topic:

• Use more general search terms to describe your topic. For example, use medical ethics instead of a specific issue like euthanasia.
• Search with alternative words.
• Use fewer words/concepts in your search.
• Use the correct Boolean operators to broaden your search. OR searches for either term in a search statement such as ethics OR morals.
• Truncate your terms.
  apolog* = apology, apologies, apologetic, apologetics

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary sources are the actual documents or records that have survived the past. They allow researchers to get as close as possible to the truth of what really happened in history. Examples of primary documents include: memoirs, diaries, speeches, letters, films, sound recordings, poetry, and paintings. Also, any article written during the time the historical event occurred.

A secondary source is any work that attempts to interpret or analyze a historical phenomenon or event. A book about the significance of Pearl Harbor to World War II would be considered a secondary source. You can find secondary sources by searching the library online catalog or any of the electronic databases and indexes.

Examples of Primary & Secondary Sources