Library and Information Science 

Getting started can sometimes feel like the most difficult part of the research process. Help define your topic by asking questions:

• What is my assignment?
  • Is it an opinion paper?
  • Is it an overview of a topic?
  • Is it a report or analysis?
• Is my topic limited in any way by:
  • A specific time period?
  • Geographic location?
  • A segment of the population?
• Would background information be helpful?
  • Encyclopedias help provide perspective on a topic or concept. Subject encyclopedias help define a topic,provide a timeline of events, identify people associated with the topic, and supply good keywords to use later when searching for books or articles.
• What words or terms best describe my topic? Are there synonyms for these words?       

1. What types of resources are required?

         Books

         Articles on a topic

         Articles from a specific journal

2. If articles are needed, how do I know if a publication is a scholarly journal or a popular magazine?

Journal articles:

Are written by experts in the field

Are peer-reviewed

Include reports of original research, or in-depth analysis of

issues related to the field

Use terminology and language specific to that field of study

Are written for other researchers in the field

Include bibliographies and extensive documentation

Magazine articles:

Are written by journalists and free-lance writers

Are not peer-reviewed

Cover current events, hot topics, popular culture

Use non-technical language

Are written for a broad and popular audience

Rarely cite any sources