Q. How do I pick resources for my topic?

When you choose resources for your assignments, always keep in mind that the main goal is to find facts that you can use to support or develop your own opinion or answer your research question.

In order to locate relevant resources, there are a few questions you should ask yourself:

What type of information do I need?

There are many different types of information such as statistics, historical accounts, government documents, news reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, interviews, biographies, encyclopedia entries, and more.

Using the right types of information sources can make or break your research experience. Not all sources are appropriate for addressing all research questions.

Where do I look for this type of information?

Once you decide what type of information you need, you can either start searching our library or ask us to direct you to appropriate resources. Here are some handy places to start:

• Subject Guides
• Library Databases

How much information do I need?

How much information you need depends on a few things:

• How many points do you want to make?
• How many perspectives do you want to cover?
• How many types of information do you need?

The more points, perspectives, and types of information you need, the more information you need in general.

Don't be afraid to collect as much information as possible during the initial stages of your research. You can always disregard information that becomes irrelevant later in your process. It is always better to start with too much information than to find yourself with not enough. 

How recent or up-to-date should the information be?

How recent the information you collect has to be depends on your research question. If you are studying a current issue or a field that changes rapidly, the more recently published your sources the better.

However, if you are studying a historical event or a field that develops slowly, older sources might be just as useful as newer ones.

When in doubt, ask your instructor for advice or make a research appointment at the library.