RHET 100: Academic Writing for the American Classroom: Home

Here is a good, basic formula for getting started with your research:

• Begin by narrowing down your topic and developing an initial research question.
• Use the keyword brainstorming worksheet (or this online keyword generator) to help you tweak your research question, identify keywords and related terms, and keep track of what you find.  
• Search in a library catalog (Summon, OBIS, OhioLINK and/or WorldCat) to find books and reference sources.  These sources will:
  • provide BACKGROUND and CONTEXT
  • REVIEW and SUMMARIZE earlier work
  • help you FOCUS your topic and
  • provide CITATIONS to important books, journal articles, conference papers, interviews, etc.
• Next, search research databases to find articles. The library has hundreds of databases; those listed on this guide are good places to begin.
• You may also wish to use Google Scholar to search the Internet.  This is a great tool for doing cited reference searches.
• Finally, use the CRAAP test worksheet to evaluate the sources you find.

• Chat with us during online help hours
• Email us: reference@oberlin.edu
• Sign up for a research appointment
• Watch a "How do I" video tutorial

Contact:Runxiao Zhu (she/her/hers)
115 Terrell Main Library

rzhu@oberlin.edu 
Email Me
440-775-5116

OFFICE HOURS Weds 2 - 3 pm or By APPOINTMENT  (Sign up)