Over 3,500 journals covering all areas of medicine. Includes the entire Medline database (1966+) PLUS PreMedline and links to publisher full-text websites and other databases.
Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts, and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities, and other websites.
PLoS publishes a suite of open-access science and medicine journals, including PLoS Biology and PLoS Genetics.
Its collection of scholarly, government, and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more.
Selecting a topic can be the most challenging part of a research assignment. Since this is the very first step in writing a paper, it is vital that it be done correctly. Here are some tips for selecting a topic:
Keywords, also commonly called search terms, are the words that you enter into the database search boxes. Without the right keywords, you may have difficulty finding the articles that you need.
Keywords are important words/concepts found in your research question or topic.
Selecting keywords is a multi-step process that involves:
It is very rare that your first search will bring back perfect results. It takes trial and error to determine which keywords work best for your topic. Be prepared to run multiple searches in your quest for the keywords that will help you find the materials you need.
Introduction to Keywords & Setting Up Your Preliminary Search
How to Narrow Down Your Topic
Think about:
Before starting your research, it's important to understand the types of information sources available. They include:
Before beginning your research, do a preliminary search to determine whether there is enough information out there for your needs and to set the context of your research.
Look up your keywords in the library catalog and in subject-specific research databases. Try other sources such as our catalog of ebooks, periodical databases, and internet search engines. Additional background information may be found in your lecture notes, textbooks, and reserve readings. You may find it necessary to adjust the focus of your topic in light of the resources available to you.
Make sure there are ample peer-reviewed, scholarly, and current sources on your topic.
After you conduct a review on your topic, you should discover what is already known and what research questions remain regarding your topic. Your research question will most likely derive from the recent literature. What remains to be known and studied about your issue? Which 'implications for future research' were stated in the articles you found?
With the direction of your research now clear to you, you can begin locating material on your topic. There are a number of places you can look for information:
Use the library's electronic databases to find magazines, newspapers, and scholarly articles. Choose the databases and formats best suited to your particular topic; ask a librarian if you need help figuring out which database best meets your needs.
Accessing library materials from off-campus requires you to log in using your email ID (before the @ sign) and password. Once in, you have 24/7 access from anywhere!
If you come across materials you need for your research that the Library does not own or subscribe to, you have a few different options. For books, your best option is to check the Catalog. For articles and books, etc. not held in this library request the item through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service. These items will either be sent to you electronically through your ILL account or sent to the Library Circulation Desk for you to pick up.
Once you have gathered your sources, you need to evaluate them. Your instructor expects that you will provide credible, truthful, and reliable information and you have every right to expect that the sources you use are providing the same. This step is especially important when using Internet resources, many of which are regarded as less than reliable.
It can be tempting to use any source in your paper that seems to agree with your thesis, but remember that not all information is good information, especially in an online environment.
Developed by librarians at California State University-Chico, the CRAAP Test is a handy checklist to use when evaluating a web resource (or ANY resource). The test provides a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not a source is reliable and credible enough to use in your academic research paper. CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.
Something to keep in mind: the CRAAP test is only one method for evaluating content. There are other methods out there that may be more appropriate such as RADAR (Relevance, Authority, Date, Appearance, Reason for writing), or CARS Checklist for Information Quality .
The original test designer's site from the Meriam Library, California State University-Chico. September 17, 2010.
Includes the CARS Checklist; website by Robert Harris. Last updated in 2018.
Create a rough outline for your paper. Consult the resources you have chosen and note the information that will be useful in your paper. Be sure to document all the sources you consult, even if there is a chance you may not use that particular source. The author, title, publisher, URL, and other information will be needed later when creating your References list.
You may find it useful to create an annotated bibliography at this stage.
Writing research papers can be very challenging.
Knowing how to take notes and paraphrase ideas can help.
Writing papers can include steps such as:
Recommended Websites
Includes resources and instructional materials to assist with a variety of writing projects.
Includes handouts on Improving Your Writing Style, Stages of the Writing Process, Common Writing Assignments, Grammar/Punctuation, and Cite References in Your Paper.
Includes sections on What Good Writers Know, Using Sources, and Model Papers from the Disciplines, which gives examples of well-written papers in the sciences as well as humanities and social sciences.
Begin by organizing the information you have collected.
The next step is the rough draft, wherein you get your ideas on paper in an unfinished fashion. This step will help you organize your ideas and determine the form your final paper will take. After this, you will revise the draft as many times as you think necessary to create a final product to turn in to your instructor.
Make sure to cite all information from outside sources using APA Style citations and formatting.
Build your References list as you search for articles and cite as you write.
Give credit where credit is due; cite your sources.
Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves two purposes: it gives proper credit to the authors of the materials used, and it allows those who are reading your work to duplicate your research and locate the sources that you have listed as references.
You can find citation examples and templates in the library's APA Guide.
Failure to cite your sources properly is plagiarism. Plagiarism is avoidable!
The final step in the process is to proofread the paper you have created.
Read through the text and check for any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Make sure the sources you used are cited properly. Make sure the message that you want to get across to the reader has been thoroughly stated.
If you need help proofreading or writing - you can make an appointment at the Center for Academic Success. If you would like a librarian to review your citations and formatting - make an appointment with a librarian.
Additional research tips:
Work from the general to the specific -- find background information first, then use more specific sources.
Don't forget print sources -- many times print materials are more easily accessed and every bit as helpful as online resources.
If you have questions about the assignment, ask your instructor.
If you have any questions about finding information in the library, research, or citations ask the librarian.
Research topics aren't set in stone and choosing a research topic isn't always a straightforward process.
As you begin to look for articles on your initial topic, your research idea may evolve along a new path. That's okay! It's all part of the research process.
