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Research in the sciences generally involves recognizing a scientific problem to be solved, setting up an experiment designed to yield useful data, and interpreting the data in the context of other scientific knowledge. Researchers use library resources to
- keep up with current thinking in the field so they can recognize a question worth asking
- review what is known about a given phenomenon so they can place new knowledge in context
- locate specific information they need to successfully carry out an experiment or project
The large volume of scientific literature being produced can be daunting at first. However, a number of resources are
available to help you find what is relevant to your research, and most
of the resources are searchable online. When planning to search for
scientific materials, be prepared to
- choose your search terms carefully so that they match those used by your abstract or index
- work from the most recent publications to earlier ones, sorting out schools of thought and lines of inquiry as you go
- know when to stop, bearing in mind that a literature review can't cover everything ever published on a topic but is a selection of the most important and relevant research
Use the menu at top right to choose between information on Finding Sources or Documenting Sources within this discipline.
