Research Worksheet
1. Select a topic: _______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Turn your topic into a title: ____________________________________________________________________________
3. Prepare a preliminary outline:
I. Introduction
II. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
III. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
IV. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
V. Conclusion
4. List known terminology:
Authors: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Titles: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Keywords: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Descriptors: _________________________________________________________________________________________
LC Subject Headings: __________________________________________________________________________________
5. Get background information from general/specialized encyclopedias: Library Catalog search query: Advanced Search for [topic] in Keyword Anywhere and set Limits Location to Reference. Also, for online Reference sources select eReferences.
Use Sources to find more sources: Additional searchable access points gleaned from bibliographic records:
Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) numbers: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
LC Subject Headings: _________________________________________________________________________________
Authors: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Keywords/Descriptors: ________________________________________________________________________________
Use Sources to find more sources: Additional terminology gleaned from encyclopedia articles:
Persons; article author: _________________________________________________________________________________
Places: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Events: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Bibliography: (photocopy and attach)
Keywords: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Refocus topic: _________________________________________________________________________________________
Adjust Outline:
I. Introduction
II. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
III. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
IV. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
V. Conclusion
7. Search the Library Catalog: use searchable access points from 4 & 5 above. See "Identify Scholarly Books" for more help.
Use Sources to find more sources: Additional searchable access points gleaned from bibliographic records:
DDC numbers: _________________________________________________________________________________________
LC Subject Headings: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Authors: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Keywords/Descriptors: ___________________________________________________________________________________
8. Select appropriate periodical indexes: Library Web site – Find Articles; see General Guide to Library Resources for a list of primary indexes per major; use Identifying Scholarly Periodicals for more help.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Select appropriate Web sites: Library Web site – Web Resources; or…
Internet Scout Report: http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/about/
BUBL Link: http://bubl.ac.uk/link/
The Digital Librarian: http://www.digital-librarian.com
INFOMINE: http://infomine.ucr.edu/
Librarians' Internet Index http://www.ipl.org/div/subject
WWW Virtual Library http://vlib.org/
10. Use Sources to find more sources: Additional Searchable access points gleaned from each article, book, bibliographic record, Web site used:
Authors: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Persons: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Places: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Events: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Bibliographies; cited references: print off; photocopy and attach.
Keywords: ________________________________________________________________________________________
DDC numbers: ______________________________________________________________________________________
LC Subject Headings: ________________________________________________________________________________
11. Evaluate each resource found (use “Evaluating Resources” and “Web Page Evaluation Worksheet”). For additional help see the bibliography "Web Resources for Evaluating Resources".
© Janet Tillman/The Master’s College, 2008-2010, permission is granted for non-profit educational use; any reproduction or modification should include this statement.
Last updated July, 2010.