From Research to Writing
Researching a topic that's new to you?
- 1. Learn more about the topic:
- A book can be helpful since it's broader in scope. How to find books in the library?
- 2. Popular sources (e.g., magazines, newspaper articles) discuss topics at a broadly accessible level.
- Examples:
Scientific American
Smithsonian
Popular Science
- Reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopedias can also be useful for grasping context and looking up unfamiliar terms.
- See "Online Reference Resources" tab.
- Examples:
- 3. Review articles can be valuable resources:
- Provide historical background information -
- Explain the significance of the research -
- Discuss possible future directions -
- Identify key papers and scientific researchers in a particular subject area
- Sample Review Article
- 4. Read current original research articles:
- Narrow in scope
- More details about methodology
- Up-to-date on newest discoveries
- *** Citation chasing