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Research Help: Research Help

This guide provides information on how to conduct a research project from the essential question to the analysis.

TRIED AND TRUE RESEARCH RESOURCES

Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose. ~Zora Neale Hurston 

Welcome to the SVS Library's Research Page

"Google is not a synonym for research." ~Novelist Dan Brown

Break the google habit!

  • Use the resources on the SVS Library website to locate authoritative information for your research project.
  • When in doubt, ask your librarian for help!

Research

Research IS: 

  • Driven by a question or problem 
  • Seeking information with a clear goal in mind
  • A process that works best when done step-by-step
  • Searching and searching again (re-search)
  • Going beyond facts and old ideas
  • Taking a new look at the information and taking a stand

Research is NOT:

  • Copying and pasting information you find through a Google search
  • Combining a paragraph from one article with a couple of paragraphs from websites. That's plagiarism.
  • Writing a "report"
  • Rearranging facts

[Special thanks to Meg Omainsky for permission to adapt her research guide]

Tips for Using Google Effectively

Databases

It is important to choose the right database for your task as databases typically cover specific topics and/or time periods. READ before you click to save time in accessing the database that best meets your information need.