STARS (Sure-fire Techniques for Achieving Research Success)

Step 4: Gathering Information

Hint:  Use the Assignment Calculator (coming soon!) to plan your work.

Finding resources

	Books Search VUCat. Unfamiliar with VUCat? Try one of the tutorials. Locating the books you've found through VUCat.
	Periodicals and Newspapers See "Articles" and/or "Newspapers" resources tab under your subject. How do I find articles in journals and magazines? Scholarly journals and popular magazines: what's the difference?
	World Wide Web sites Web searching tips (from SearchEngineWatch) Guide to major search engines Resources for Evaluating Web sites

Keeping careful notes -- Here's what to record (from: Writing a Research Paper, Purdue University)

	Information that supports and develops your thesis statement or research question.
	Succinct, short phrases...but not too sketchy
	Duplicating facts that can further bolster your thesis.
	Opposing viewpoints, when appropriate to the type of paper you are writing.
	A variety of sources.
	Bibliographic details for citing your sources: author, title, (editor, translator, and/or edition number if there is one), publisher, city of publication, year of publication, issue number, volume, and page numbers.
	Call numbers, in case you wish to locate the books again.
	Names of databases and search terms you used.
	URLs (web site addresses) of online information.

Click here for the help of a research librarian. | Click here to make an appointment at the Writing Center.

Proceed to Step 5. | Return to Step 3 | Return to Introduction.