Some items are only available on campus or will require authentication via EUID and Password at the point of use.
Once you have a clear research question, the next step is to find reliable sources that help you explore it in depth. Research depends on using high-quality materials — such as scholarly articles, books, and credible websites — that provide insight and evidence to support your ideas.
As you begin your search, you’ll learn to tell the difference between primary sources (the original works you’re studying) and secondary sources (analyses and interpretations by scholars). You’ll also practice evaluating each source for its reliability, relevance, and accuracy to ensure that the information you include in your project is trustworthy.
Taking the time to find and evaluate your sources carefully will make your research stronger and your arguments more convincing.
Once you have a focused research question, it’s time to start finding materials that will help you answer it. Look for scholarly articles, books, and credible websites that provide analysis, interpretation, or background information related to your topic.
Where to Search:
Tip: Keep track of each source you find — note the title, author, publication, and database. This makes creating your bibliography much easier later.
If the library doesn’t have the book, article, or other material you need, you can request it through the library’s Interlibrary Loan portal (Illiad). This service allows you to borrow items from other libraries at no cost.
EBSCOhost Provides access to various EBSCO databases which can all be searched simultaneously.
JSTOR provides full-text access to thousands of scholarly journals, books, and primary sources across many disciplines, with coverage often starting from a journal’s first issue but sometimes excluding the most recent volumes.
Project MUSE provides full-text access to scholarly books and journals in the humanities and social sciences from university presses and academic publishers.
Credo Reference provides full-text access to over 675 reference books (including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and biographies) covering all major subjects.
Academic Search Complete provides full-text access to over 10,500 scholarly journals across a wide range of disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and education.
MLA International Bibliography indexes scholarly articles, books, and dissertations in literature, language, linguistics, folklore, and related fields, providing comprehensive coverage from 1926 to the present.
ERIC provides access to education research and resources, indexing journal articles and reports from over 1,000 publications, with coverage dating from 1966 to the present.
Legal Collection provides full-text access to scholarly law journals, law reviews, and legal news publications, with coverage varying by title.
MLA International Bibliography provides citations to scholarly articles, books, and dissertations in literature, language, linguistics, folklore, and related fields, with coverage from 1926 to the present.
Literature Resource Center provides full-text access to scholarly articles, critical essays, biographies, and overviews on authors, their works, and literary movements across all time periods and genres.
When you begin research, one of the first things you’ll encounter is the difference between primary and secondary sources. Knowing how to tell them apart helps you choose the best evidence for your project.
Use the tabs below to learn more about primary and secondary sources.
Primary sources are first-hand accounts or direct evidence about a topic. They are created at the time an event happened, or by someone who experienced it. Think of them as being “closest to the action.”
Examples:
When you use a primary source, you’re analyzing the raw material yourself.
Secondary sources are interpretations, explanations, or analyses of primary sources. They’re one step removed from primary sources, providing commentary or context rather than direct evidence.
Examples:
Secondary sources are useful because they summarize and connect ideas, helping you see the bigger picture.
Ask yourself:
Both types of sources are important in research. Primary sources give you direct evidence, while secondary sources help you understand and interpret that evidence. Together, they make your work stronger.
Finding information is easy. Knowing whether you can trust it is the real challenge. In today’s information-rich world, sources vary widely in reliability. Some are well-researched and credible, while others may be outdated, misleading, or influenced by hidden agendas.
Evaluating the sources you plan to use is a critical step in any research process. As you search for information, you’ll also need to assess each source’s credibility - determining where to look, how to identify trustworthy material, and how to cross-check what you find. Developing this skill is essential not only for your course papers, but also for making informed decisions in everyday life.
Because of this, taking time to evaluating your sources is crucial. Consider whether each source is trustworthy, current, and appropriate for your topic before incorporating it into your work.
Has the information been peer-reviewed or otherwise screened?
The following video provides more information about what it means for a source to be credible and why it's important to use these sources.
Research often involves juggling dozens of articles, books, and websites — so staying organized from the start will save you time (and stress!) later. It also helps you keep track of what each source says and how it connects making writing easier later.
If you prefer something simple, use a Google Sheet, Word table, or notebook to log your sources.
Include columns for:
In addition to tracking your sources, it’s helpful to take a few notes on each one you read. Consider including:
Keeping your notes connected to each source will make it easier to integrate evidence smoothly into your writing and avoid plagiarism later on.