Sometimes it is hard to pick a topic for your research.
1. Brainstorm. Think of at least five possibilities that fit the assignment.
2. Pick a topic that interest you. You'll be spending time reading and thinking about it, so it should be something that interests you.
3. Match your topic to the scope of the assignment.
4. Ask a question. This may not be necessary every time, but asking a question can be a helpful way to frame your research.
5. Make sure your topic fits the assignment. Reread the assignment and if you're not sure, check with your instructor.
Basic Search
Limitations to Subject beginning with… search
Advanced Search
**Search Tip: Use ? as a wildcard symbol o identify records with variants of your search term(s).
Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
Web vs. Library Resources
University Press vs. Regular Publishers
Critically analyze information sources to evaluate the authority and quality of the books and articles you located. If you have found too many or too few sources, you may need to narrow or broaden your topic. Check with a librarian or your instructor.
Short (1-5 minute) flash videos about library services and resources
Online@Iowa Tutorials - Using the Library