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POL /PUH 420 -- International Development (Fall 2022): Thinking About Research

Basic Research Steps

  • Select an interesting and doable topic.
  • Identify each component of your topic.
  • Select appropriate terms to describe the components and use truncation as appropriate.
  • Determine the correct use of Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT).
  • Select fields to search if appropriate (author, title, subject).
  • Limit your results as necessary (date, scholarly vs. popular, etc.).
  • Evaluate your results and rethink your strategy as necessary.

The Research Process

Survival Tips

Start early!

Read assignments carefully.  

Start early!

Check with your professor to be sure your topic is appropriate and doable.

Start early!

Librarians are your friends

Start early!