Research becomes more productive when you plan before collecting sources. This lesson explains how intentional searching and a needs assessment help you find materials that serve both your project and its readers.
After choosing a topic, developing a workable research question, and planning an approach, you can begin collecting sources. This does not mean saving everything that mentions your topic. An unplanned search can produce an overwhelming pile of sources that are irrelevant or unusable.
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Intentional source searching
Searching according to defined research needs rather than collecting everything related to a topic.
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
A subject-heading system commonly used in academic library catalogs.
Subject database
A database focused on specialized publications in a particular field.
Peer review
Evaluation of an article by experts in its field before publication.
Purpose-based source evaluation
Judging a source by how well it serves its intended role in a project.
Quiz questions
What kind of help can librarians provide to researchers?Answer: They can suggest search strategies, collections, and sources suited to a research need.
When is a subject database especially useful?Answer: When a focused question calls for specialized publications in a particular field.
What does peer review indicate about a scholarly article?Answer: Experts in the field evaluated it before publication.
How might archival material contribute to a research project?Answer: Unique records may provide evidence or function as primary data.
How should a researcher judge whether an older source is useful?Answer: Consider whether its date fits the project, including historical comparisons or baseline data.
Based on Writing Guide with Handbook by Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, featuring Toby Fulwiler (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.