Research Essentials

Most students start their search for information by going to Google which provides quick and easy access to many kinds of valuable information. While this is a helpful way to search for everyday topics, it usually isn't the best option for academic research. Anyone can put anything on the Internet. You cannot always be sure of the reliability and authority of Internet search results. 

The Research Essentials Guide and Iona College Librarians are here to help you get the most relevant, authoritative, and reliable books and articles that your professors want you to use for your research assignments. Throughout this guide, you will learn how the library's resources and online research databases, is the ideal place to conduct your academic research.

1.  Identify Your Topic.

• State your topic as a question and identify the main concepts or keywords.

2.  Find Background Information.

• Look up the keywords in scholarly encyclopedias and dictionaries.
• Gale eBooks
• Oxford English Dictionary

3.  Find Books & Articles in WorldCat.

• Finding Books
• Finding Articles 

4.  Find More Articles in Research Databases.

• Research Databases
• Research Guides

5.  Evaluate What You Find.

• Evaluating Sources

6.  Cite Your Sources.

• Citing Sources
• RefWorks

7.  Get Help.

• Ask a Research Librarian!

Adapted from:  Olin Library, Cornell University Library