Research may take many forms and involve many kinds and sources of information.  Knowing how to begin is half the battle.  These steps will start you on the way to systematic information retrieval, and help you establish a logical approach to library research.

            1.  START EARLY.  Allow enough time to do each step thoroughly.  One of Murphy's Laws states that things always take longer to do than you think they will, and another is that the resources that you just know are there, aren't.

            2.  DEFINE YOUR TOPIC.  When possible, it is best to begin with a range of topics in which you are interested.  Selecting a range now will allow you to focus later on a topic for which resources are readily available.

            3.  FIND BACKGROUND INFORMATION.  This will give you some ideas on determining the scope of your topic and may also lead you to specific sources for further information.  You should look for the following: a brief overview of the topic; the important names, dates, and concepts associated with the topic; the specialized terminology used to discuss the topic.  Specialized subject encyclopedias are a good place to begin looking for background information.  Use specialized dictionaries to define terms as they are associated with the topic. (more)

            4.  NARROW THE TOPIC. While doing your background reading, think about ways of restricting your topic.  Formulate a preliminary thesis or topic statement, a 1-2 sentence summary on the main point of your paper.  This will constitute an introduction to your paper to be followed by whatever evidence you collect to develop, clarify, and defend this statement.  Another approach is to formulate a research question, which will be answered by the evidence in your paper.  (more) 

            5.  COMPILE A WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY. Armed with pencil and paper (index cards are better), build a list of books and articles that you want to read for your paper.  (more)  This should be an ongoing process as you continue through steps 6-8.  Your initial bibliography will draw from:

            a.  the web catalog.  Use terms and authors you found in your background reading to search our book holdings. 
 

           b.  bibliographies and bibliographic references.  Use footnotes and bibliographies cited in your background readings.  Check the web catalog for subject bibliographies by adding the word bibliography to the subject that you search.

            c.  abstracting and indexing services.  Periodicals offer the most current, up-to-date information,
            or information contemporary with your subject.  (list)          

            6.  LOCATE THE TITLES IN YOUR WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY.  Use the floor plans to find the location of call number groups for books.  Check the periodicals list or web catalog to see whether we have a journal and in what format..  If we do not have the material, ask a Reference Librarian about finding locations for visiting another library or about using Interlibrary Loan. 

            With an Ursinus ID card and a letter of introduction from a Reference Librarian, Ursinus students have borrowing privileges with the college libraries listed below.  You can check their holdings before you go.

American College, Arcadia, Art Institute of Phila., Bryn Athyn College,  Cabrini, Chestnut Hill, Cheyney, Community Col. of Phila., Delaware Co. Comm. College, Delaware State U., Delaware Tech., Delaware Valley College, Eastern, Goldey-Beacom, Gratz College, Gwynedd-Mercy, Harcum, Holy Family, Immaculata, Lincoln, Montgomery Co. Comm. College, Neumann, Peirce,  Penn State-Abington, Penn State-Great Valley, Phila. Biblical Univ., Phila. College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia Univ., Rider, Rosemont, Rowan, St. Charles Seminary, St. Joseph's, Salem Comm. College, Univ. of the Sciences, Valley Forge Christian, Valley Forge Military, Wesley, West Chester, Widener, Wilmington College.

Maps to many libraries are on file at the Information Desk.

            7.  TAKE NOTES AND EVALUATE SOURCES.  Throughout the research process, notetaking is important.  Notes are not only sources of references but aids to processing the information you read and to organizing your paper.  A paper begins to take shape and write itself as you do research and take notes.  Not all information will be appropriate for your use.  The following guidelines may be useful in the evaluation process:

            a.  date of publication.  Some topics require greater currency than others (Third World debt vs. literary criticism of Latin poetry).
 

            b.  statements substantiated.  Check the author's notes to see whether there are sources to support the text.  Does the author use primary sources in the original languages, or does he or she rely on secondary texts?
 

            c.  author's qualifications.  Read any biographical notes printed in the book or article.  For additional information on the author, check for book reviews or biographical sketches. 
 

            d.  publisher.  Is the publisher a university press or scholarly journal, which has rigorous screening procedures, or is the publisher a popular or commercial press?  (more)
 

            e.  scholarly reaction.  What do reviewers say about the book or the author's work in general? 

            f.    If you use information from a World Wide Web homepage, there are additional things you should evaluate.  (more)

            8.  FIND SUPPORTING INFORMATION.  You might need additional kinds of information, such as:

            a.  biography.  There are biographical encyclopedias and dictionaries in the Reference section. 
 

            b.  primary sources.  Locating diaries, letters, eyewitness accounts, government documents, and other kinds of primary sources requires a variety of research strategies.  Talk to a Reference Librarian for further explanation.

c.  statistics.  In the web catalog, add the word statistics after the subject heading you are searching, or use a keyword search, adding and statistics to your search term.  Ask a Reference Librarian to suggest sources to use.

            9.  USE A STYLE MANUAL.  Style manuals are guides to consistent practice.  Check with your professor to see whether a particular style is preferred.  If so, use that manual.  There are a variety of style manuals on Reserve at the Circulation Desk or in the Reference section.  If there is no preference, select one with which you can be comfortable; use it and no other for that paper or project.  MLA, APA, and Chicago are three styles that are widely used at Ursinus.  DO NOT pick and choose forms from different manuals; this leads to inconsistency and sometimes a lower grade.

            10.  ASK A LIBRARIAN.  Actually, this point should appear much earlier in the process and be repeated at almost every step.  While the librarians will not choose a topic for you, or determine which aspect of a topic you should explore, they will help you to identify your interest and to select search terms.  If you are not sure where to begin or how to proceed, if you do not understand the organization of a source, or the meaning of certain symbols or abbreviations, ASK A REFERENCE LIBRARIAN!!  You can talk to a librarian in person at the Information Desk Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 - 4, and Sunday 3 - 9.  You can ask a question by e-mail  or for a problem requiring a lot of help, you can make an appointment for a Personal Librarian, or you can use Instant Messaging from the library's homepage.
                                                                         
 Adapted from materials developed for use by the Bryn Mawr and Haverford Libraries.