Research can be challenging. We all look for ways to spend less time researching and still find what we need to complete our assignments.
Here are 5 tips from OCLS librarians to help you conquer research.
1. Create a Research Question
Asking a research question is a great way to start. A topic is too broad to cover thoroughly, but a question has an answer. Follow these steps to create your research question:
- Start with a general topic. Your assignment will usually give you a topic to research.
- Browse general books, articles, and websites for ideas. Taking the time to learn about your topic before starting your research will help you understand your topic and save time.
- Narrow to a specific question. As you learn about your topic, write down your questions and pick one you want to know the answer to.
- Narrow your question further. A clearly stated question helps you decide what information is needed in your paper and what is not important.
2. Google Scholar and Wikipedia
You didn’t think librarians would suggest Google and Wikipedia, did you? We know you use them, so we have some tips on utilizing them for your assignments.
Google Scholar
It is hard to find websites that you can use for your assignments with a regular Google search. We recommend using Google Scholar.
- Google Scholar is a simple search to find scholarly articles.
- Each search result has a Cited by link. Use this link to find similar articles.
- You can link OCLS to Google Scholar, so you have access when OCLS has an article in full text.
- On the main Google Scholar page, click the three bars in the upper left-hand corner to open the menu.
- Select Settings, and then select Library links.
- In the search box, type Indiana Wesleyan University.
- From the list, check the IWU options and click Save.
- If you find an article that you would like to read but must pay for access, remember to search OCLS and see if we have the article. Or, you can request the article through Interlibrary Loan.
Wikipedia
You cannot use Wikipedia as a source. Still, it is an excellent place to get an overview of your topic, find related topics, and find other resources in the References section.
3. Evaluate Sources
When you use sources for your assignments that are not scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles, you need to evaluate them for authority and accuracy.
We all know you cannot trust everything you read online, so OCLS has an Evaluating Sources checklist that will help you evaluate books and webpages.
4. Boolean Searching
Boolean operators are essential if you want to conquer research. If you have trouble finding enough articles or narrowing your search results, you need to try Boolean searching. Boolean operators are words AND, OR, and NOT. When you use these words in library databases typed between your keywords, they can make each search more precise and save you time. To learn more about Boolean searching, read the OCLS blog post: What are Boolean Operators?
5. Keywords vs. Subject Terms
Knowing the difference between keywords and subject terms will help you conquer research and save time.
Keywords
Keywords are what you type into Google. They are important words or phrases that describe the key concepts of your topic. When you search for keywords, the database looks in any part of the article (e.g., title, abstract, author, text, etc.) for the keyword. Using keywords can return too many or too few results because the database is only searching for the word or phrase you typed in. Many times, the search results are not useful and not about your subject.
Subject Terms
Subject terms are words that are assigned to an article and identify its subject and main topics. Databases pre-define these words, and you must know what the Subject Term is to search for them. You can find Subject Terms in the databases’ Thesaurus link, usually found in the top menu. Your search results will be more useful than a keyword search since the articles will be about your subject.
If you need help with research, OCLS is here to guide you through the process.
For more information, contact the OCLS team:
1-800-521-1848
ocls@indwes.edu