Once you have decided on a topic, you need to think about the best sources to get your information. Answering the questions below will help you decide what kind of strategy you need.
Do you need books?
- Do you know very little about your topic?
- Do you need background material, an overview, or the history of your topic?
- Is your topic a broad subject?
- Did your professor require that you use reference sources or books?
If you answered yes to many of these questions, you need books.
Do you need journal articles?
- Is your topic relatively specific?
- Do you need the latest research on your topic?
- Can you describe your topic in a few keywords?
- Would you benefit from reading how an expert on your topic writes about it?
- Did your professor include words like scholarly, academic, refereed, or peer-reviewed articles or sources in your assignment description?
If you answered yes to many of these questions, you need journal articles, to be found in databases such as Academic Search Premier and MasterFile Premier.
Do you need newspaper articles?
- Is this in the news now or very recently?
- Do you just need facts presented very succinctly?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, you need newspaper articles.
