These steps outline a simple and effective strategy for conducting your research. We are ready to help you at every step in your research.
Make a list or use the Keyword Chart to keep track of keywords related to your topic. Keep it by your side when you start your research.
Using a broad search like "crime" or "violence" when trying to select a topic and will help you get a sense of some of the many ways scholars have approached an issue.
Think about how you can break your search topic into different aspects. Search for these aspects separately or in combination.
Think of alternative and related terms to use so that you don't miss anything.
Reference and background resources can be a good place to go to learn about the current issues surrounding a topic.
Let one good book or article lead you to others. Scholarly publications almost always have bibliographies or lists of works cited. If the original source is useful to you, works used by the author may be valuable, too.
You can also see how a particular book are article is categorized and look for other works in that category.
