CMP101 Composition 1 - Hart: Finding Information

As you search for information about your topic, look at each source you find with these questions in mind:

• What new information does this source add?
• What claim does it support?
• How does it help your focus?
• What new questions does it raise?
• Does it lead to any other sources of information that might provide more details or better evidence?

Applying these questions to each source you find will allow you to quickly eliminate unnecessary sources.

Take a moment to think about your topic. What are the main concepts involved? What are some words or phrases that describe your topic? Where do you think you'd find information about your topic? What research question are you trying to answer?

These are all important questions to consider. They will help guide where you start your research.

For specific tips to find each source look at the following pages. 

Finding Books

Finding Articles

Finding Web resources