Research

Library Search- *

- broad search across disciplines - peer reviewed articles & non-peer reviewed articles -Includes anything with that word in the word.

Library Search- "..."

- broad search across disciplines - peer reviewed articles & non-peer reviewed articles -Must include exactly that term, all words included

Research Paper Proposal

1. Background of the problem. This section may also show the scope or extent of the problem. It will help the reader to understand the issue. 2. Statement of the problem. 3. Purpose of the research. 4. Significance of the research (also called "importance"). Although a student paper may not have far-reaching consequences, any well-prepared research paper should be useful to someone. In this section of the proposal, the following questions should be answered: Who will benefit from having this problem solved? How will they benefit? How important is it to answer this question? What is the value of this research to a given discipline? Why is doing this research important? No rule prohibits the writer from being one of the beneficiaries. One value or objective of research on Christian work for people with disabilities might be its "use by the writer for ministering to disabled people." 5. Definition of terms. An author should clearly indicate the precise meaning of terms that might not be common to the readers or might have more than one meaning. A writer might define "emerging adults" as "persons of either gender between the ages of 18 and 23." Thus the reader is informed of the exact meaning of the term in this paper. It is important for everyone—writer, professor, and readers—to be given the exact meaning of a term. If a paper is to be read by those not familiar with denominational or local terms, it is imperative for these to be clearly defined. A precise definition of theological terms characteristic of one's own tradition may be needed for noninitiated readers. Not all papers need definitions of terms. 6. Limitations of the study. Here the researcher honestly states the limits imposed by shortness of time, lack of library facilities, or language limitation. Too many limitations may suggest that the wrong topic was chosen or poor research is underway. Stating the limitations is especially useful in the rough draft of the proposal because they show your honesty and foresight. These usually are left out of the actual paper. 7. Delimitations of the study. Not to be confused with "limitations" (see above), delimitations are parameters chosen by the researcher. "While the problem of elders who do not know how to preach proper sermons is common in the whole of Tanzania, this paper will study only the issue in the Arusha Central Church." 8. Methodology. The researcher must clearly show what steps are to be followed to complete the research. 9. Tentative outline. Give chapter titles with their main sections and subsections. 10. Working bibliography. This is a list of sources already consulted and found useful to the topic. This list will grow as the research progresses. The tentative bibliography helps the professor gauge the student's familiarity with the topic. 1. Background of the problem. This section may also show the scope or extent of the problem. It will help the reader to understand the issue. 2. Statement of the problem. 3. Purpose of the research. 4. Significance of the research (also called "importance"). Although a student paper may not have far-reaching consequences, any well-prepared research paper should be useful to someone. In this section of the proposal, the following questions should be answered: Who will benefit from having this problem solved? How will they benefit? How important is it to answer this question? What is the value of this research to a given discipline? Why is doing this research important? No rule prohibits the writer from being one of the beneficiaries. One value or objective of research on Christian work for people with disabilities might be its "use by the writer for ministering to disabled people." 5. Definition of terms. An author should clearly indicate the precise meaning of terms that might not be common to the readers or might have more than one meaning. A writer might define "emerging adults" as "persons of either gender between the ages of 18 and 23." Thus the reader is informed of the exact meaning of the term in this paper. It is important for everyone—writer, professor, and readers—to be given the exact meaning of a term. If a paper is to be read by those not familiar with denominational or local terms, it is imperative for these to be clearly defined. A precise definition of theological terms characteristic of one's own tradition may be needed for noninitiated readers. Not all papers need definitions of terms. 6. Limitations of the study. Here the researcher honestly states the limits imposed by shortness of time, lack of library facilities, or language limitation. Too many limitations may suggest that the wrong topic was chosen or poor research is underway. Stating the limitations is especially useful in the rough draft of the proposal because they show your honesty and foresight. These usually are left out of the actual paper. 7. Delimitations of the study. Not to be confused with "limitations" (see above), delimitations are parameters chosen by the researcher. "While the problem of elders who do not know how to preach proper sermons is common in the whole of Tanzania, this paper will study only the issue in the Arusha Central Church." 8. Methodology. The researcher must clearly show what steps are to be followed to complete the research. 9. Tentative outline. Give chapter titles with their main sections and subsections. 10. Working bibliography. This is a list of sources already consulted and found useful to the topic. This list will grow as the research progresses. The tentative bibliography helps the professor gauge the student's familiarity with the topic.

Expectation of Professors

1. Correct English, including spelling, grammar, syntax, and paragraph construction 2. Clarity of expression 3. Logical organization 4. Appropriate introduction and summary 5. Conclusions naturally derived from evidence 6. Correct format, as chosen by the individual institution for a specific program

Questionson Feasability

1. Do I have the necessary sources to do this research? If the topic chosen must be researched from original documents in Bombay, a student in Buenos Aires would have difficulty finishing the task. If the chosen topic is a word study of the Hebrew word niṣdaq, the researcher must have access to Hebrew dictionaries, lexicons, and word studies already done on niṣdaq as well as articles published in journals. 2. Am I qualified to do this research? A researcher who has chosen to study the word niṣdaq in Daniel 8:14 but knows no Hebrew will not be able to write a good research paper. Sometimes it is possible to acquire the skills needed to complete a research project—languages, statistical expertise, or thorough knowledge of a specific area in a discipline—but often there is not enough time to do this. 3. Do I have enough time to complete the research of this topic by the due date? This question is of prime importance to students, especially in intensive courses. If one needs to travel halfway around the world to get information to write the paper, it may be impossible to finish by the end of the semester. Some students choose topics that require interviewing someone who lives at a distance. Interesting as that research might be, one must count the cost—in time or money—before embarking on the project. 4. Does this research demand finances I do not have? The cost of mailing questionnaires or traveling to complete research can become high. The expense of typing a paper (or worse, having it typed) must also be considered. Today, computer and internet expenses must be factored into the total cost. Of course, it is not possible to escape all financial burdens, but one must take finances into consideration before settling on a topic.

Tentative Outline Example's

1. Introduction 2. Bhakti Yoga A. Definition of Bhakti B. Ninefold Bhakti i. Passive Bhakti a. Sravanam b. Kirtanam c. Smarmam ii. Active Bhakti a. Padasevanam b. Archanam c. Vandanam iii. Relational Bhakti a. Dasyam b. Sakhyam c. Atmanivedanam C. Madura Bhakti i. Symbolic Nature ii. Allegorical Interpretation 3. Barriers to Bhakti A. Women B. Wealth C. Wrong Company D. Wrong Emotions i. Lust ii. Anger iii. Greed iv. Attachment 4. Summary, Conclusions, and Reflections 1 Introduction 2 Bhakti Yoga 2.1 Definition of Bhakti 2.2 Ninefold Bhakti 2.2.1 Passive Bhakti 2.2.1.1 Sravanam 2.2.1.2 Kirtanam 2.2.1.3 Smarmam 2.2.2 Active Bhakti 2.2.2.1 Padasevanam 2.2.2.2 Archanam 2.2.2.3 Vandanam 2.2.3 Relational Bhakti 2.2.3.1 Dasyam 2.2.3.2 Sakhyam 2.2.3.3 Atmanivedanam 2.3 Madura Bhakti 2.3.1 Symbolic Nature 2.3.2 Allegorical Interpretation 3 Barriers to Bhakti 3.1 Women 3.2 Wealth 3.3 Wrong Company 3.4 Wrong Emotions 3.4.1 Lust 3.4.2 Anger 3.4.3 Greed 3.4.4 Attachment 4 Summary, Conclusions, and Reflections

Evaluate Sources for Reliability

1. Is the source published by a reputable press? 2. Is the book or article peer reviewed? 3. Is the author a reputable scholar? 4. If the source is available only online, is it sponsored by a reputable organization? 5. Is the source current? 6. If the source is a book, does it have notes and a bibliography? 7. If the source is a website, does it include bibliographic data? 8. If the source is a website, does it approach its topic judiciously? 9. If the source is a book, has it been well reviewed? 10. Has the source been frequently cited by others? ​

Term Paper or Research Paper

A major paper (15-30 pages) that investigates a specific issue. Such a paper needs a clear introduction as well as a summary and conclusions. All quotations, citations, and allusions are referenced.

Thesis

A major paper required for the completion of a master's degree. Its length is usually around 100-120 pages. A written proposal must be approved before the task is undertaken. Theses may have to be defended before an examination committee.

PhD/ThD Dissertation

A major study, similar to a thesis, but longer and more complex, often 250-300 pages long. It must be written on an issue not previously researched.

Pastoral Theology Paper

A paper (20-30 pages) that applies the findings of research to a pastoral situation.

Case Study

A paper (20-30 pages) that presents a case, analyzes factors affecting it, interprets what has happened theologically, and proposes pastoral action to explain or resolve the situation. The case study is used in practical theology.

DMin Dissertation

A paper that completes the Doctor of Ministry program. It tends to be practical, as is the degree. Its length is at least 150 pages and may be longer.

Sermon

A paper written as the basis for a later oral presentation. While research may be needed, it is not reported in the same way as in other papers. However, quotations should be referenced in the written version turned in to the professor.

Project

A paper, either for a class or a degree, that emphasizes planning, doing extensive reading and writing, and executing a project on the basis of that careful reading. Projects are common in applied theology, from undergraduate through graduate courses, but especially in the Doctor of Ministry program.

Secondary Sources

A secondary source is what someone wrote about a primary source. Secondary sources explain primary sources, but they are one step removed from the original. To continue the legal metaphor, secondary sources are the testimonies witnesses give related to the evidence.

Book Review

A short (1-4 pages) paper that describes and evaluates a book or article. The professor sets the parameters for this paper.

Essay

A short paper (1-10 pages) that explores a topic from a personal point of view, without the rigor of a research paper. The opinions of the writer may be prominent, but referenced footnotes are required for all quotations, citations, and allusions.

Report

A short paper (1-10 pages) that summarizes findings on an assigned topic. All quotations must be referenced.

Exegisis Step Two-Establish the Text

After demarcating the passage to be studied (that is, determining its beginning and its end), establish the text. This means determining as accurately as possible, by means of textual criticism, the reading closest to the original. No variant reading in the whole of Scripture contradicts the basic biblical message. However, there are textual variants of significance, and a good exegesis paper will identify and discuss these, both in terms of manuscript support and how they influence the interpretation of the text. These will be identified in an apparatus that is found in the original language Hebrew and Greek texts listed below. An important example of these is the Comma Johanneum (1 John 5:7-8), used for generations as a New Testament proof of the doctrine of the Trinity. This phrase has now been shown to be a late addition (eleventh century) to the Bible text. There is no point in doing exegesis on a doubtful variant. A research paper on when and how this variant came to be included in certain manuscripts would be more properly classified as church history or historical theology, but no longer exegesis. Biblical exegesis at this level expects the use of the original languages, Hebrew and Greek. Here is where you will find programs such as Logos Bible Software or Accordance very helpful.

Historical People

As time goes on, people who were outstanding in the history and life of their church pass on. With them, we lose a treasury of information. Their biographies, carefully written and documented, can be of encouragement to future generations.

Library Search- or

Both words are not required, just needs one, or the other.

Planning Research-Basic Steps Step 2: Determine the Purpose

Determining the purpose follows on the heels of defining the problem. It tells the reader (and the professor) what you are going to do about the problem. If the problem is a lack of information, the purpose will be to find that information. If the problem is a disagreement between two of Jesus' sayings on peace, the purpose could be to try to bring harmony or to understand the difference. Some examples of purposes: to reconstruct the events of a given historical period, to compare two theories, to organize certain information, to determine the relation between two events, to synthesize, to discover, or to formulate.

Prowl the Stacks

Doing research online is faster than on foot, but if you never go into the stacks of your library (assuming you have access), you may miss crucial sources that you'd find only there. More important, you'll miss the benefits of serendipity—a chance encounter with a source that you find only in person.

Exegisis Step Four-Establish the Meaning

Establishing the meaning goes beyond the simple translation of the text. Now the question is asked: What does the passage mean? In order to determine the meaning of a text, study the syntax of the sentences. In addition, investigate the meaning of important words.

Angela Brew's Domino Variation

Finding the answer to each distinct research question inspires, points to, or helps with a new research question. One solution always leads to a new question.

Look Beyond the Usual Kinds of References

For a class paper, you'll probably use sources typical in your field. But if you are doing an advanced project such as an MA thesis or PhD dissertation, search beyond them.

Pastoral Theology

How do small groups work? Which evangelistic method is the best for a given time and location? How does a pastor deal with conflict in the church? These are questions that can be answered theoretically by a research paper. Since there is (should be?) a biblical basis for what pastors do, what the Bible says cannot be omitted. The largest part of the paper, however, will describe, analyze, and summarize what others have written about the issue.

Exegesis Three Part Outline

I. INTRODUCTION A. Passage selected B. Reasons for choosing this passage C. Setting of the passage D. Author E. Date F. Audience G. Literary interrelations H. Historical/geographical/socioeconomic context II. THE TEXT A. Translation of the passage B. Information on 1. Textual problems 2. Grammar and syntax 3. Important words III. INTERPRETATION A. Meaning for original readers B. Application for today's Christians IV. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Narrowing the Topic

Identifying and defining the main elements of the topic and looking at the different ways to apply them in the essay. The questions asked about feasibility point to limitations: reasons why something cannot be done properly or done at all, and limits placed on the research by circumstances. Once a topic is chosen, limitations no longer count. Now we speak of delimitations—self-imposed limits that make the topic better, clearer, and more manageable. Delimiting a study is indispensable because in doing good research, the researcher is responsible for turning up and examining every single piece of information on the chosen topic. It is as if one were putting a fence around a certain piece of land and agreeing to turn up every stone and investigate every plant enclosed in that fence. If the piece of ground is too large, the task cannot be completed. It is better to fence a small piece of ground and examine every pebble and blade of grass on it—not forgetting the small insects that might be hiding under the surface. In doing research, one must become a specialist in the chosen area.

Read Generously to Understand Then Critically to Engage

If you can, read promising sources twice. First, read generously. Pay attention to what sparks your interest. Reread passages that puzzle or confuse you. Don't look for disagreements right away, but read in ways that help the source make sense.

Search Guides to Periodical Literature

If you've done research before, you're probably familiar with annual guides such as Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, which cites sources such as magazines and newspapers. Most specialized fields also have yearly guides to secondary sources, such as Art Abstracts, Historical Abstracts, and Abstracts in Anthropology (in the bibliography, see items in category 4 in your field). Most are available online or in other digital forms.

Planning Research-Basic Steps b I'll Step 3: Design a Methodology

If your research is to be done in the library, decide where you are going to start and where you will go next. Will you trace the history first? Or will you do the exegesis of your text first? You will also need to tell your professor how you plan to use your sources. Will they be outlined? Compared? Analyzed? If the research is other than bibliographical, the methodology of the survey or experiment to be used must be even more clearly spelled out. The instrument you plan to use to gather data also must be described and/or prepared. All steps of the research must be clearly enunciated. In some cases, the section on methodology may become an entire chapter of the paper.

Exegesis Step Six-Establish the Original Theological Meaning

In this step of exegesis the question is: What did the passage mean to those who first heard or read it? On the basis of the previous steps and informed by your own biblical and theological understanding, bring out the author's intended meaning.

Search Your Library Catalog

In your research, you will likely use your library's catalog in two ways: keyword searching and browsing. When you have examined some sources to identify a list of keywords related to your topic, you are ready to use these terms to search the catalog. In most libraries you must choose the category (books, articles, journals, etc.) you wish to use for your search.

Historical Events

It is difficult to cover a long period of time in a student historical paper. Even a dissertation cannot usually cover more than a brief period. Therefore, choose a historical incident rather than a period.

Search for Sources Systematically

Make the library the focus of your search strategies even as you draw on the expertise of others inside or outside the academic community and use the resources of the internet.

Follow Bibliographic Trails

Most sources will give you trailheads for bibliographic searches. When you find a book or article that seems useful, skim its bibliography or works cited. Its index will list the authors cited most often.

Library Search- and

Must include both words, not neccesarily together.

Exegisis Step Three-Establish the Translation

Now you ask: What is the meaning of the original text? To begin to establish the translation, take into account vocabulary and grammar.

Exegesis Step Seven-Establish the Application for Today

Once the meaning for the people who received the message or sang the psalm or heard the prophecy has been determined, we can be confident that we understand the text. The last step of exegesis applies theological meaning to life as it is experienced today, either to you personally or to the larger community of faith. This application forms the basis of preaching and teaching.

Record Sources Fully, Accurately, and Appropriately

Once you decide a source is worth reading, record all of its bibliographic information.

Planning Research-Basic Steps Step 1: Define the Problem

Once you have a research topic in hand, you must define the problem. The problem should point to a gap in knowledge, an unclear situation, an unresolved question, a lack of information, an unknown, a specific question to be investigated and answered, or a problem to be researched and solved. It is important to state the problem because this statement guides the research. It also helps the professor give appropriate guidance. Those who do not like the term problem because of its negative connotations could just as easily think of the problem as an issue or even a research question. Whether a problem is simple or complex, it must be clearly stated: Exactly what is wrong and needs fixing? In most cases, the problem is expressed in a full sentence.

Consulting Primary Sources for Evidence

Primary sources are "original" materials that provide you with the "raw" data or evidence you will use to develop, test, and ultimately justify your hypothesis or claim.

Exegisis Step One-Determine the Canonical Context

Read in its canonical setting the passage you want to study. Find out what it is a part of and how it functions within that setting. Look for the markers that indicate its beginning and end, as well as its relation to what precedes and what follows. Outline your passage, taking into consideration the genre (discourse, poetry, story, etc.) and structure of the passage, especially as it fits within the particular book of the Bible you are working with. After you have studied your Bible passage and its context, you may want to compare what you have determined about the organization of the content and argument in both the larger and immediate contexts with what other authors have written. This can be a safeguard to you. This information is part of what is given in an Old Testament or New Testament introduction (used in the technical sense for a work that tells about various Bible books) or in the opening section of a Bible commentary on the passage. However, because perspectives vary and authors' presuppositions may cause them to see things in a particular light, begin by trusting your own conclusions and be slow to adopt another's views unless you find compelling evidence. This "dialogue" can help you clarify any issues that might be ambiguous in your evaluation of the canonical context. Read with care and thought. At this point, do not read interpretations (such as in commentaries) of your passage—only gather facts and evidence on the canonical context.

Literary Research

Research done using documents as the primary source of evidence. These may be printed or online. You are attempting to answer a question whose answer is found in what people thought or said in "writing." This is different from exegesis because the "object" you are analyzing is not a text but an idea, an event, a context, or all three interwoven around a theme. In this kind of research, you will investigate a topic, answer a question, fill in the blanks. In short, you will solve a problem.

Angela Brew's Trading Variation

Research is creating a product for others to use. It assumes being a part of community that learns from one another.

Angela Brew's Layer Variation

Research is looking beneath the surface, ever digging deeper.

Angela Brew's Journey Variation

Research is transformative, leading to growth in knowledge and understanding.

Consult Reference Works

Researchers in all fields share common values and habits of thought, but every field has its own ways of doing things. To learn about the ways of your field, browse the shelves in your library's reference room that hold guides to your field's particular research methods, databases, and special resources.

Read Secondary Sources to Learn from Other Researchers

Secondary sources are books, articles, papers, or reports that are based on primary sources and intended for scholarly or professional audiences. The best secondary sources are books from reputable university presses and articles or reports that have been peer reviewed, meaning that they were vetted by experts in the field before they were published.

Questions on Content

Some important questions regarding the organization of the topic might be: What are its parts? Of what larger whole is this topic a part? You can find the parts of a topic in the subdivisions of an encyclopedia article or in the table of contents of a book. For example, the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge divides its article on "Sun Worship" in such a way that I can see that one part would be enough for my class paper, perhaps sun worship among the Hittites.

Historical Theology

Sometimes it is difficult to decide whether historical theology belongs under theology or under history. It contains elements of both. This is the type of study that analyzes changes in a belief or doctrine over time. The longer the period you study, the more pages you will need to present the history.

Read Tertiary Sources for Introductory Overviews

Tertiary sources are books and articles that synthesize secondary sources for general readers. They include textbooks, encyclopedias (including Wikipedia), and dictionaries, as well as articles in publications for broad audiences, like Time and the Atlantic. In the early stages of research, you can use tertiary sources to get a broad overview of your topic.

Ask a Librarian

The best advice we can offer is to draw on the research expertise of librarians. Both general reference librarians and (in larger libraries) subject area specialists can help you refine your search parameters and direct you to the right tools for your specific research question.

Tentative Outline

The following outlines, from the proposal of a DMin project on the Bhakti way of philosophical Hinduism, show that the researcher (a blind Indian professor) already has a good knowledge of the topic. The first outline is done in the traditional form, using a sequence of Arabic numerals, capital letters, lowercase Roman numerals, and lowercase letters. The second outline uses Arabic numerals and the decimal system, in a style employed in many areas of the world. Both forms are correct and acceptable since they give a detailed outline of the study. Either model should be followed precisely, including all items, such as indentations, sequence of letters and numbers, and alignment of periods. Do not mix the two systems.

Historiography

The principles, methods, and philosophical issues of historical research.

Selecting a Thesis or Dissertation Topic

The selection of a topic for a thesis must be made in close communication with the adviser or committee. The students make the final choice, and the preliminary reading is their responsibility—but listen carefully to your adviser! Before seeing the professor about a topic, complete the initial pre-research and write down ideas on two or three possibilities. If you write out problem and purpose statements before seeing your adviser, the professor can give you more helpful advice.

Theological Dictionaries

Theological dictionaries and books containing word studies are useful to the process of exegesis. However, these take the process of word analysis to the next level: interpretation and synthesis. When consulting them, it becomes critical to distinguish between fact and opinion, and that is not always easy. The facts will be helpful, but the opinions will need to be filtered through what you have already discovered.

Primary Sources

These sources are those beyond (or behind) which there is nothing more. To use a legal metaphor, primary sources are the documentary evidence upon which you build your case. These, by definition, are the original documents of a story, of any information. A primary source could be a letter. It could be the text of a speech. It could be a tweet. It could be an archaeological report. It is never a report about what someone else wrote. It has to be what an author, a person, wrote down on computer, parchment, paper, stone, or clay. And every document has a story, a history.

Exegisis Step Five-Establish the Historical and Geographical Context

This step of exegesis considers the historical and geographical context of the passage. It asks: What was happening at the time this passage was written that might help explain the text?

Biblical Theology

Those who accept the Bible's authority will start with a "thus says the Lord" perspective. In other words, the primary evidence for their account derives from Scripture. While biblical exegesis seeks to understand one passage, biblical theology seeks to understand the full canonical scope of the topic. Micro-exegesis of pertinent Scriptures becomes the evidence for a macro-exegesis of a theme in Scriptures. Because of time, space, and scope constraints, the goal may be very specific.

Concordances

Using a concordance in English is not as effective as using one in Hebrew or Greek. English concordances list the words that appear in a given English version; Young and Strong work from the King James Version. Young's Concordance does show for each English word what the original language word is, but a given Greek or Hebrew word is not always translated in the same way. To find all the uses of a certain word, you need to use a Greek or Hebrew concordance, either in book form or in one of the Bible software programs.

Explore Online Databases

What sets libraries apart from the internet are subscriptions to indexes and databases. After books, these are arguably a library's most valuable assets, since they give researchers access to materials they could not obtain otherwise.

Syntax

While grammar and general word definitions are helpful, making sense is often more complex and involves understanding not only the parts but also how they work together and influence each other. This is what we mean by syntax. In studying the syntax of a passage, look at the structure of the sentence and the function of the words. Look for idiomatic phrases and hard-to-translate prepositions. In Hebrew, look for constructs showing possession or other relations. In short, look for any element that might modify the first, direct, and obvious translation of the passage.

Word Study

Words often have a range of meanings that might help explain their use in a specific context. For this reason, it might be helpful to look up important nouns and verbs in a concordance to see how they are used in other passages. Start with other occurrences of these words in the same book, then in other passages by the same author, and then in other authors of the same period. Afterward, study these same words in theological dictionaries.

Look for Someone Who Knows About Your Topic

You might also ask around or search online to find someone who knows something about your topic and standard reference works on it: advanced students, faculty, even people outside the academic community.

Search the Internet

Your library's catalog and databases provide access to information that you cannot get through a search engine. When doing research online, maintain a healthy skepticism: most of what we retrieve using Google or some other search engine is perfectly reliable, but not everything is.

Library Search- not

must have one, but can not have the other.

Evaluating Journal Articles and Online Sources for Relevance

▪ Read the abstract, if it has one. ▪ Skim the introduction and conclusion; if they are not marked off by headings, skim the first six or seven paragraphs and the last four or five. ▪ Skim for section headings, and read the first and last paragraphs of those sections. ▪ Check the bibliography for titles relevant to your topic. If your source is online, do this: ▪ If it looks like a printed article, follow the steps for journal article, and also search for your keywords. ▪ Skim sections labeled "Introduction," "Overview," "Summary," or the like. If there are none, look for a link labeled "About the Site" or something similar. ▪ If the site has a link labeled "Site Map" or "Index," check it for your keywords and skim the referenced pages. ▪ If the site has a search function, type in your keywords.

Evaluate Sources for Relevance

▪ Skim its index for your keywords, then skim the pages on which those words occur. ▪ Skim the first and last paragraphs in chapters that use a lot of your keywords. ▪ Skim the book's introduction, especially its last page, where authors and editors often outline their text. ▪ Skim its last chapter or conclusion, especially the first and last several pages. ▪ Skim prologues, summary chapters, and so on. ▪ Check the bibliography for titles relevant to your topic. Be sure that you're looking at a book's most recent edition.

Record Complete Bibliographic Information

▪ Who wrote or assembled the source? ▪ author(s) ▪ editor(s) (if any) ▪ translator(s) (if any) ▪ What data identify the source? ▪ title (including subtitle) ▪ page numbers (if the source appears in a larger work) ▪ volume number ▪ issue number ▪ edition number ▪ Who published the source and in what context? ▪ publisher's name ▪ place of publication ▪ name of the journal, collection, or other work in which the source appears ▪ When was the source published? ▪ year of publication ▪ season, month, or specific day (and, in some cases, time) ▪ for online sources, the date you accessed the material (whether or not you include this date in your citation) ▪ Where can the source be found? ▪ for online sources, a URL or the name of the database ▪ for physical items in a one-of-a-kind collection, the place that houses the collection