To help you find or refine a topic, you can:

1) Scan encyclopedias in the discipline of your choice.
They provide overviews of issues and research trends in a discipline.

• For discipline-specific information, see the library's specialized online encyclopedias.
• Credo Reference A collection of encyclopedias in various disciplines. The "concept map" search allows you to explore general topics and refine them, using an interactive map of topics and subtopics. Credo offers a video demonstration of this feature.
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context : Easy to browse set of resources on controversial social issues.
• Virtual reference collection: a list of online sources to find information on everything. One of the largest ones is the following:


x


• Academic OneFile : A huge and highly heterogeneous multidisciplinary mix of scholarly, journalistic, practitioner and popular sources, with much direct full-text included. Use the list of related subjects to explore a topic.
• For a detailed overview of resources in each discipline, see the library's Research Guides.
   

2) Use search engines and concept mapping tools
Some search engines provide suggestions for more search terms. Concept mapping tools allow you to visually brainstorm the various aspects of a topic (as shown in this 3' video)

• DeeperWeb: powered by Google, it allows you to refine your search by adding or excluding words in Deeper Cloud (see image), by selecting specific categories of information, and more.

• Quintura. A search engine that presents results as a "cloud".
• Spezify. A search engine that presents results as images.
• Bubbl.us. Concept mapping made easy...
• Text2Mindmap. Another concept mapping visualization tool.

Or try a different search engine, and scan the results:

• searches only high quality content.

Once you have chosen your topic you will need to identify where to look for resources in your discipline.

• KL has a list of specialized databases (specific to disciplines) under Databases by Subject.
• Research guides offer more specific suggestions for the best databases, websites and other resources on a given discipline or topic.

When using databases that are not full-text, click on to access the text of the articles.

Here are some tips on how to use effective keyword searching strategies: 

• in some databases, limit your search to "peer-reviewed" (also called refereed) articles.
• check whether a journal is peer-reviewed in Ulrich's Periodicals Directory . Enter the journal title in the search box.  When you find it, check whether it has the icon in front. If so, it is peer-reviewed.
• check the website of the journal, or a print copy, to see if they mention anything about peer review. 

Here are some tips to find, organize and manage the sources you find.

Tips to conduct a literature review
Tips for Conducting an Organized Literature Review.pdf

Citation management systems allow you to create a personal database of references and automatically generate formatted bibliographies for your projects. You can choose



or



Zotero is free and can be used by all, while RefWorks is restricted to OU users only.

Find articles, books, etc...

Library Catalog
Use the catalog to find books, videos, recordings, and goverment documents we have at the library.

MelCat
A statewide catalog of many of Michigan's libraries. It allows you to request books at another library be sent to Kresge Library for you.

If we don't have an item, you can request materials be sent to Kresge Library for you:

MeLCat is a catalog of Michigan libraries, where you can place a request.

Illiad is an interlibrary loan system, where you can fill out the details of the materials you want.

Article Search

    A searchable, subject-categorized directory of authoritative websites; links to online texts, newspapers, and magazines...

Intute: a portal to quality websites in all disciplines, to help you study and research.

Internet Archive: a huge virtual library of books, films, audio files, websites, and more.

Ask a Librarian

• by phone at 248-370-4426
• via chat with reference IM
• via email at Email Us!
• in person in Kresge Library.

Research Consultation
Request an individual session to get help with your research. You can expect the session within 2-3 days.

Writing Resources for Students
Find in-depth information about the mechanics of writing, MLA/APA citations, avoiding plagiarism, and more.

Writing Center
The consultants can help you with every stage of the writing process.