Swindell - March 2023

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?

                    RU Libraries Quick Search
 

• 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.
     
• 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