How to Find Sources for a Research Paper

Finding sources for an academic research paper can be time-consuming and frustrating. Here are some steps to follow to find sources quickly and easily.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Check your library.
   
   If you are writing a paper for school, search your library catalog for resources. Also, speak with a knowledgeable librarian about your paper. most universities have staff research librarians who specialize in certain topics.

2. Search other libraries.
   
   Using WorldCat.org, you can search for books and resources available at college / university libraries around the world. If a great source is not at your own library, you can request a loan or visit another nearby institution.

3. Ask someone.
   
   Speak with a knowledgeable professor or researcher about your paper and see if he or she can suggest any good sources to look at. You may also want to e-mail top professionals in the field to see if they can help you.

4. Use the web.
   
   GoogleScholar is a great resource for searching both books and scholarly articles. Even if you can't access the source through Google, it will give you a list of ideas to check at your own library or in online journal databases.

5. Read the bibliography.
   
   If you find a good book or paper on your topic, make sure you read any citations it provides (both footnotes and the bibliography). This can help you uncover other sources for your research.

6. Wikipedia.
   
   When all else fails, many students turn to wikipedia. While the articles on this site are NOT RELIABLE for scholarly research, many provide links to references. You can use citations from wikipedia to help you continue your search.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember not to plagiarize from your sources and cite everything you use for your paper.