Publishing: effective library research: Identify

Before you start searching, you need to have a good understanding of your research topic. This will:

• enable you to identify the questions, concepts and issues you will address in your dissertation. 
• ensure your searches are focused and targeted at the right materials.

Next, consider what types of information sources will help you address your topic.

In all cases you will be using scholarly material such as books and journal articles, but you may need to use a wide variety of other sources too.

For example you may need to explore news sources, official publications or primary sources. This will differ hugely between dissertation topics.