STEM - Pre-Engineering: Citing Information

Read this page for suggestions on how to get started with the research process:

1. Once you've picked your subject, plan your search strategy (see "Formulating a Search Strategy" below).
2. Use the Research Project Calculator to plan and finish your assignment on time (see "Research Organization" below).
3. Select from different types of sources (see "Media Types" below to see what these are).
4. Avoid plagiarism by citing all sources that you've used. Use our "Citation Help" for assistance with this.

When you begin your search for sources of information:

1. Define and focus your topic: What or who are you researching? Are you looking for general information about your subject, or something more specific about it?
2. Choose what kind of sources you need: What sources do you need or want? Books? Articles? Scholarly articles?
3. Find effective search terms: Often what words and phrases greatly effect the results of your searches, especially in subject searches.
   1. find and try synonyms for the topic your researching.
      1. consulting a thesaurus might help
      2. you can also try reading dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. specific to your subject to familiarize yourself with whatever words are commonly used regarding that topic

Information is generally communicated in the following forms:

Print: information produced in more traditional physical forms, usually on paper, such as:

• books (see the "Books" page for more details)
• periodicals (for example newspapers, magazines, and journals). These are divided between "academic" AKA "scholarly" AKA "peer-reviewed" periodicals and "the popular press". Click on the "Periodicals" tab for more details on the differences between the two. 
• pamphlets
• maps and atlases

Online or Electronic: 

• databases ("Articles" page, go there for more details)
• ebooks
• RSS newsfeeds (if this guide has an see the "News" page for more details)
• websites

Audio/Video (A/V): common examples are:

• Online Streaming Video (e.g. Kanopy)
• DVDs
• CDs
• VHS tapes

Browse the tabs listed at the left. They'll lead to pages that go into more detail about specific media types such as books, periodicals, etc. and how you can use them.