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Troubleshooting Tips For Doing Research
If you get unsatisfactory results, don't assume that there is no information. First, make sure you've followed some basic research principles by asking yourself some questions: Define the Topic. Ask yourself:
- Is my topic too specific or too broad? How can I tell?
- Is it likely that this kind of information is publicly available or am I looking for information or statistics that is not available or is proprietary?
Answers are in Recognizing What You Need
Appropriate Sources. Ask yourself: - Did I use appropriate sources for background information, in-depth information and current information?
- Does the source cover my subject area? How can I determine the purpose of the database, site or source?
- Does the source cover the time period I'm interested in?
- Have I used people, libraries and the Web appropriately?
- Did I check with a librarian, teacher or colleague to help identify good resources?
- Did I search in a database that is too technical/ not technical enough for me?
- Do I need scholarly publications? If so, how can I determine if a publication is scholarly? Did my professor provide a definition?
Answers are in Research Problems
Access to Resources. Figure out
which resources you have access to and how to find them. Ask yourself: - Does this library's collection have the resources to meet my needs?
(A small public library, for example, will not have the resources to support advanced study.) Have I allowed enough time for interlibrary loan if a source is not available in my library?
- Does the database provide the article in electronic format?
If so, can I print it out, save it to a disk or email it to myself?
- Does my library have the journal in which this article is published?
(Sometimes the database provides this information). To find the exact location of the journal in your library, check the library catalog. Be sure to search the library catalog for the journal title, not the article title!
Answers are in Research Problems and Recognizing What You Need
Search Strategy.
Double-check your search strategy. Ask yourself:
- Did I search synonyms or variations in spelling of a word?
- In my searching, did I join my concepts with AND, or OR appropriately?
- If the databases provided a thesaurus, or list of subject headings, did I use it? Have I tried keyword searching?
- Did I read the "Help" offered in the database? Remember, searching is a learned skill, not something you are born knowing.
Answers are in Research Problems and Searching Tips
Good Research Habits Develop good research habits. Ask yourself:
- Have I been careful to use my own words and not plagiarize?
- Have I been careful to keep a record of my sources so I can provide accurate references for my project?
Answers are in Research Ethics
Evaluating Results
See Evaluating Information
Define Topic | Appropriate Resources | Access to Resources | Search Strategy
Good Research Habits | Evaluating Results | Back to Top |
