RESEARCH: HELP

'Our treasure lies in the beehive of our knowledge. We are perpetually on the way thither, being by nature winged insects and honey gatherers of the mind.'-Friedrich Nietzsche

Search Tips

1. Get organized
• Use note cards, different colored pens, a research log, or emailed print outs.
• Find a way that works for you and stick with it
2. Work with a research question in mind
• This will keep you from getting side tracked in the information mines available to you
3. Understand the Information Cycle
• Look for information in the appropriate places
4. Use boolean logic
• It helps you talk with computer to limit your search
5. Alternate keywords and keep a record of the ones you have tried
• For example when looking up something's "history" try "origin" or "foundation" instead.
6. Scroll down the catalog entry to find out how the library of congress classifies it
• this allows you to efficiently navigate the catalog looking for similar titles
7. Most importantly: Relax: Research takes time and patience, and in the end, it's a lot of fun...