STEP 1: CONVERT TOPIC TO KEYWORDS
Convert your topic statement, hypothesis or position into database friendly words and/or phrases.
STEP 2: FIND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON TOPIC
For some assignments, you need to locate books on your topic. Use the college library catalog, WorldCat, or Google Books.
STEP 3: CHOOSE RESOURCE
Decide which library resource is most likely to work for your topic formulation.
STEP 4: SEARCH RESOURCE
Search an appropriate resource, limit and review results as needed, and revise searches if necessary.
Carefully distinguish scholarly from popular articles.
STEP 5: GET ARTCILES
You can retrieve full text of articles online or locate articles in journals in the library or request articles the library does not have through UC interlibrary loan.