This guide is designed to point you towards the resources and information that you will need to craft your research paper for Eng 335.
To get started, you'll need a topic. Make sure to pick a text/author that appeals to you. Do a Google search, read a Wikipedia article, find some YouTube videos that look at/talk about your potential topic. Consider some big questions like:
You should try to get a sense of what is out there, and the critical issues being discussed before you begin researching in earnest.
When you do a search, you will get the best results by using keywords, which are the main ideas of your topic/question. Write out your topic/question and identify the main points. Ex.: What role does sexuality play for the main protagonist in Orlando by Virginia Woolf?
To find sources on this topic, type these main ideas into a database, and see what comes up!
Adjust your search based on the results you're seeing, additional keywords, and subject terms.
Subject terms describe the content of books and articles. When you find a resource that is relevant to your topic, check to see what subject terms are associated with it, use those terms in a new search to find other resources:
Once you find a book or article on your topic, look at their Reference List. Chances are that you will find some additional sources that will be useful for you.
Phone: 540-887-7085
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Email: ask@marybaldwin.edu
If you have questions at any point in your process, please let us know! We are happy to help you with any part of the research process, including (but not limited to!) where to search, how to search, and how to cite materials!