Library Research Basics

1. Choose Your Topic

Choose an initial topic to research. Expect to refine your topic as you learn more about it! The shorter the final essay or paper, the narrower the topic will need to be. 

• Choose a topic that you enjoy or are interested in or curious about
  • Assignment or Career interest -  related to your program at UVA Wise or future job goal
  • Personal interest -  arts/crafts, sports, cars, cooking, gardening, genealogy, etc.,
  • The world around you - current events, news, social issues, politics, etc.

2. Explore Your Topic

Before you settle on a topic, it's a good idea to do some background research first. The library is a great source for background information!

• Head for the library databases first. What are databases?
  • Online, organized collections where you can find electronic versions of newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, eBooks, data, statistics, business reports, and streaming video
  • UVA Wise Library subscribes to numerous databases
  • Wide range of subject areas. 
  • Use email or share tools to send an article to yourself
  • Use citation tools to copy/paste your citation at the end of a paper
    • Sometimes a database citation will mess up the capitalization
    • Be sure to make the corrections before submitting your assignment
    • Also double-check the italics in the source title and database name. Fix it if not.
  • Available 24/7. Login accessible off-campus
  • Link to UVA Wise Library's complete A-Z Databases list.
  • Link to UVA Wise Library Database Tutorial Videos to learn more about working with library databases.

3. Refine Your Topic

Now that you've done some background research, it's time to narrow your topic. Remember: the shorter your final paper, the narrower your topic needs to be.

• Take notes as you skim and scan the research material 
  • Jot down the main facts, ideas, and concepts related to your topic
  • Note taking LibGuide to learn more about taking notes
• Notice the patterns in your research material
  • Are the same ideas, themes, and topics repeated in different sources?
    • These are the most important pieces of your topic,
    • They represent the main points, secondary points, and boundaries of the subject
    • They help you identify the major components of your topic
    • They help you identify most common thoughts and beliefs.

NOTE: If you see something mentioned only once or that doesn’t fit the common understanding of your topic, it's probably not worth including. 

4. Search For Sources

After you've refined your topic, it's time to start searching for sources. Do you need books, articles, or something else?

• At this point you've probably formed your own thoughts about your topic and you have the sources to support it.
• Next, look for sources that show another perspective.
  • This is a hugely important step!
    • Knowing and understanding other perspectives
      • Provides the complete picture of the issue.
      • Avoids confirmation bias and demonstrates objectivity about the issue
      • Ensures you understand your perspective is not the only one. Confirmation bias
      • Shows the validity of your own beliefs
      • Shows you understand why others may have different ideas

5. Evaluate Your Sources

It's always a good idea to evaluate sources before using them in your assignment. Do you need to have scholarly sources or the most recent research?

•  Different sources of information have different purposes. What kind of information do you need?
  • Straight data and facts?
  • Personal perspectives or opinions?
  •  Academic and scholarly? Peer-reviewed?
  • Newspapers, magazines, or encyclopedia articles? 
• Choose the best sources for what you are trying to communicate in your assignment.
  •  A good source backs up its arguments and ideas with solid data, and evidence that can be confirmed. and presented in a neutral tone.
  • A bad source generally takes a more emotional tone, and may exaggerate, mislead, or provide completely wrong data and information to "prove" their point.

6. Write

Pull everything together to share your argument and your evidence. Tie ideas from your sources together with your own thoughts and analysis to make a compelling case.

• Apply your research to your paper, speech, or project
• Be confident about your new area of knowledge.
  • Explain all aspects of the topic or issue  
    • The big picture
    • Details and small and nuanced points.
    • Show that for you "Points X, Y, and Z make sense because… "
    • Show that others consider perspectives "A, B, and C because…” 

NOTE: If you're not 100% convinced about points X, Y, and Z and perspectives A, B, and C, retrace your steps,

• Go back and review the steps in the research process to fill in the gaps