Getting Started With Your Research


					Getting Started With Your Research A self-help guide to quality information

How do I get started?	•	Guides exist for many classes and subject areas.
	•	Selecting a topic
	•	Finding background information
	•	Finding facts

I'm looking for information on my topic. How do I find...	•	Articles
	•	Books
	•	Web pages
	•	Other types of information

How do I know what databases to use for my topic?	•	Choosing the best database

How do I improve my search?	•	I didn't find enough
	•	I found too much
	•	My results are off topic

How do I locate books and articles?	•	What is Acorn?
	•	I've found my item in Acorn, the Vanderbilt library catalog. What now?
	•	Is it a book, article, conference paper ...?

How do I know if the information I find is reliable?	•	Evaluating your information

Now that I found information, what do I do?	•	Writing your paper
	•	Citing your sources
	•	Avoiding plagiarism

Help! My paper is due tomorrow!	•	Last minute strategies

I still need help.....	•	Getting help

Prepared for the Jean and Alexander Heard Library, Vanderbilt University

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to MIT Libraries for granting permission to modify and use their "Information Navigator" tutorial.