When developing your topic or research question, ask yourself:
In the early stages, you may find it helpful to write your topic as a title and include a brief description and how it could be developed, to define your ideas and plot a course of action. Although your research topic or aspects of it may change, it's still useful to record your thoughts in the form of a 'log,' to remind yourself of how the topic has evolved and to help you avoid retracing your steps.
While thinking about research topics:
To search for more relevant or non-commercial results, limit your search by domain, for example .edu, .org, .gov, .net. Enter your keywords followed by the command site:[domain].
For example, if your topic was "how can the effect of wind turbines on birds and other wildlife be minimized?," you could type:
birds wildlife wind turbines site:gov
Secondary sources provide an overview of your topic/question. Use them to get started.
When you locate a relevant primary source, carefully read the description of the study's methods, results, discussion, and conclusions. Determine if the source pertains to your topic/question and how it helps you answer your question or part of your question. Don't forget to scan the study's bibliography to identify more sources, too!
Secondary sources:
Primary sources:
To learn more, view Primary and Secondary Literature in the Sciences or Historiography: Primary Sources. Ask a librarian for assistance too.
Try broad searches in these databases to explore a topic or browse by subject.
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