You have already done the first step: you have focused your topic. Search Strategy
You must be prepared to be somewhat flexible, however, as sometimes a search query is so narrow that you will be unable to find any information. If this occurs, you must broaden your topic.
By thinking about your topic and placing it in one of the disciplines, you will be able to draw on a wider area of knowledge. This is especially helpful when you find that there is not much information on the topic you have selected and you need to broaden your search.
If you are interested in exploring the success of needle exchange programs in New York City, NY, in decreasing the incidence of HIV infection, what discipline do you think will be most appropriate?
Click on the appropriate discipline:
HumanitiesLet's go back to the hypothetical history paper you are writing. There is a very adequate amount of material on your topic, so you do not have to broaden your search by looking at related disciplines. But what is the next step? Before you go on, you need to answer a few questions:
What type of information do I need?Is currency of research materials important?
Where should I look for information?
