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Learn the Library

This guide will introduce you how to use the library to do basic research.

Did you know?

84% 

of students found that getting started was the hardest part of working on an assignment.

This guide is designed to help you with that process.


Head, J. & Eisenberg, M. (2010). How college students evaluate and use information in the digital age. PEW: Project Information Literacy. 

Research

When you look for resources for a class paper or project, you are doing basic research.

The library provides many resources to help you do research including books, articles, and databases.

Check out this video that takes you through the steps of doing a quick and advanced search of the library catalogue!

The Research Process

Research can be broken down into steps. This guide will focus on five steps in more detail:

  1. Choosing a topic

  2. Identifying resources you will need to write on the topic

  3. Searching, locating, and accessing library resources

  4. Evaluating the credibility of what you've found

  5. Start writing, and citing

Start early, doing research takes time. Don't let yourself get frustrated, there are resources and library staff available to help you at any stage so ask us anytime!

The image below illustrates another way of breaking down the steps of doing research into a continual process:

 

Advanced research

For Grad Students

 

For Faculty

 

Conducting research is a key function of a university. The library supports research at all levels and has guides available to assist with advanced research: