Library and Information Science: The Basics

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  • Are not peer-reviewed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