Science Librarian
Picking Your Topic IS Research
You will need to pick a topic. This is not as easy as it seems! The video listed below, Picking Your Topic IS Research!, will show you some of the obstacles that students face as they work through this step. The video Refining & Broadening a Topic will help you think about your selected topic in narrower or broader terms.
Research is like building a house!
Starting Research
Researching a topic can be a difficult process but it doesn't have to be. There are steps you can take to make your research process easy and stress free. Much like how you can't build a house without a solid foundation, you can't begin researching unless you have a good, solid foundation of information.This is a good time to begin figuring out what you want your topic to be and researching the context of what your topic is about. Come up with a list of keywords that you want to search and use the links below to help you find out information about your topic.
LSU Libraries Databases
- CQ Researcher Plus Archive This link opens in a new windowA database of in-depth, authoritative reports on a full range of political and social-policy issues extending back to 1923. Each report is footnoted and includes an overview, background section, chronology, bibliography and debate-style pro-con feature, plus tools to study the evolution of the topic over time.
- Gale Ebooks This link opens in a new windowGale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These reference materials once were accessible only in the library, but now you can access them online from the library or remotely 24/7.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowCredo Reference is a general reference solution for learners and librarians. Offering 551 hundred highly-regarded titles from over 70 publishers; Credo General Reference covers every major subject. Credo Reference is an online reference service made up of full-text books from the world's best publishers. Whether you're working on a research paper, trying to win trivia or just curious, Credo Reference has something for you.
News Resources
- New York Times Climate and EnviromentNewsource for climate and environment news.
- ScienceMagGreat source of news about the environment. This is considered "scholarly" and "peer-reviewed" BUT many of the articles published are NOT original research articles. Make sure you are paying attention when using this as a source. Original Research articles will publish their sources.
Useful Websites
- EPA: Environmental Protection AgencyLearn what you can do to protect the environment in your home, workplace, and community.
- LSU AgCenterThe Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, known as the LSU AgCenter, is one of 10 institutions within the Louisiana State University System. The LSU AgCenter’s mission is to provide the people of Louisiana with research-based educational information that will improve their lives and economic well-being.
Agriculture Librarian
