Skip to Main Content

Research Essentials

A General Guide to Research: how to research, where to look for sources, how to evaluate work, and where to get research help in the Iona University Libraries.

Introduction

Now that you've chosen your topic, you'll need to start gathering appropriate sources for your research project. Make sure to check your syllabus or ask your teacher to confirm what types of sources are required for the assignment, as well as the number of required sources. For example, do the resources need to be peer review or from within a specific time period? Do you need to cite a certain number of scholarly articles, news articles, or book chapters? How flexible is your professor about using online sources, such as government websites or academic blogs?

After establishing the parameters of the assignment, you may start seeking out books, articles, and eBooks using WorldCat and the library's many databases