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Economics 520 & 522 Teachers: Mr. Tipton & Mr. Perry Librarian: David Hegarty Term/Year: Spring 2006 |
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Before you begin your research follow these crucial steps:
| 1. Understand the assignment. |
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| 2. Choose a broad topic or area of interest. |
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| 3. Get an overview of the topic. |
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| 4. Narrow the topic. |
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| 5. Write a thesis statement or statement of purpose. |
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Plan your time wisely. Try the OWHL's Planning Assignment Calculator (adapted from the University of Minnesota’s QuickStudy: Library Research Guide). This tool will help you set deadlines for yourself so that you can complete the entire project on time.
Definitions of frequently confused concepts are just a click away: Helpful Explanations.
There is no one perfect source. The best source for you depends on your particular information need. This discussion of Choosing the Right Sources can save you time by helping you to match your information need with one or more source types.
Don’t forget to capture the information you will need for your bibliography the first time you use each source.Use these handy forms for collecting all the data elements you will need.
Your topics can often be found in these Dewey Decimal numbers:____330's____________
Click here for a list of selected specialized reference books (available in the Garver Room) you may want to consider. If you are researching a specific country, you may also use the online version of Europa World Yearbook to get a great overview of that country's economy
The reference books will give you an overview of
your subject; remember to check the bibliographies for further information.
| Search a library catalog if you have a title or subject in mind. Plan ahead as books that are requested from NOBLE libraries take about 3 days to arrive and books from outside of our consortium can take more than a week. | ||||
| The OWH Library Catalog | ||||
Finding Journal Articles:
| OWHL Subscription Database(s) best suited to your project. |
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| Selected Websites |
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With any source, remember to look at it critically. Check out Evaluating the Sources for more information.
Now that you’ve found your resource material, follow these steps to get the most out it.
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The next step is to bring structure to your notes by creating an outline.
You’ve now reached the stage where you’re ready to pull everything together into a finished product. Write your paper, prepare your oral report, put together your PowerPoint presentation. Don’t forget to proofread!
Are you satisfied with your efforts and outcome? If not, be sure to review this process thoroughly before your next assignment. Make an appointment with an Instructional Librarian as soon as you receive your assignment to make sure that you get off on the right track next time.
