Defining Your Research Topic

Successful research encompasses several steps.  The first step is to determine what kind of information is being sought.  This usually involves defining the topic (subject and time frame) and identifying the preferred format (citations, abstracts, full text) of the search results.  The information you are looking for will drive the decision as to what resource(s) you will use. 

Defining your research topic, determining the desired format of search results, and using appropriate search strategies are all covered in this module of E-LEARN.