To find information for a research paper and cite the sources, try these steps.
Decide on a Topic
State your topic as a question or brief statement, for example, 'what are the effects of media violence on children.' Highlight the key words in your statement. Then think of synonyms, for example, synonyms for 'media' as used here might be television or movies or video games.
Find Background Information
Look up your keywords in general or in encyclopedias, such as Gale Virtual Reference Library. For contemporary issues, try searching in CQ Researcher or Issues & Controversies. Articles in these types of sources help provide the history and context and a broader picture, in a brief format. Check the citations at the end of the encyclopedia articles for more sources to find. Additional background information may be found in your class notes, textbooks, and reserve readings.
Find Primary Sources on Your Topic
Find Books About Your Topic
Use your keywords to search our book collections:
Find Periodical Articles
Find AudioVisual Media
Evaluate What You Find
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. More...
Cite the Material You Use
Format the citations in your bibliography using examples from MLA (for literature) or APA (for social sciences) standards. Citation Style Guides
Need help focusing your topic? Need ideas about where to look? Want to be sure you're using a reference source effectively? Call the Reference Librarian at (626) 914-8644, stop by the Reference Desk in the Library or Email a Librarian.