STEP FOUR: SEARCH FOR MATERIALS

Once you have selected your topic and finished your background reading, you are ready to gather more detailed information.

As you know, there are countless sources available in a research library. Where should you start? Think about the types of information you need to find for your topic.

Information comes in many different formats: journals, books, newspapers, government publications, audio, video, bibliographies, dissertations/thesis, statistics, and diaries are just some examples. When you are selecting information sources for your assignment consider the following questions:

How many sources are you required to use for your assignment? Some instructors will tell you the number of sources you should use. The length of the assignment can also help you determine how many sources you will need. It is a good idea to find more sources than necessary so that you are well prepared. You can always choose not to include some sources later based on their relevance to your topic.

Are you looking for current up-to-date information? Each topic will differ in the type of information that is required. Magazines, journals, newspapers or Web sites may be good sources for current information. Because books take much longer to write and publish than an article, they may not be the best source to use for information on a very current topic.

What types of information are available on your topic? In some cases instructors require that you collect information from a variety of sources. You may need to look for information in books, magazines, scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, videos, interviews, etc. Finding a variety of sources may help you to get a broad perspective on your topic.

Remember, there is not one perfect book, periodical database, encyclopedia or Web site that has all the information you need. Realistically, be prepared to use more than one resource. Research always takes longer than you think, so start early. Don't waste valuable time; ask your instructor or consult a Librarian.

The following table lists some of the types of sources you may want to collect on your topic and how to find them.

Source	Type of Information	How to Find
Books	Can range from current to older, more historical information. May report facts, studies, analysis, etc.	Search the Library catalog (GIL)
Magazines	Good source for very current information. May provide popular perspectives, polls, and stories.	Search GALILEO or print indexes
Scholarly Journals	Good source for information in a specialized discipline.  May provide scholarly perspectives, studies, reports, or discussion.	Search GALILEO or print indexes
Newspapers	Good source of recent or current information. May range from local to international information and perspectives.  May include statistics, polls, reports, etc.	Search GALILEO or print indexes
Goverment Publications	Good source for current or older government studies, reports, statistics.	Search the Library catalog (GIL) or government Web site
Statistics	Quantitative data used to prove or disprove a hypothesis, to support claims or to answer a question.	Search GALILEO, government Web sites, or print publications
Web site	May be a good source of current information on a variety of topics.	A computer with an online connection and a browser