How to Develop Research Questions/Topics
Before you begin the search,
Think about
1) What does the assignment ask you to do? And where your research fits into the topic?
2) What kinds of scholarship available on the topic you are doing research?
--- To understand the types of sources: PRIMARY SOURCES vs SECONDARY SOURCES
3) Are there scholars who disagree about the topic or have different positions about the topic?
THE BEAM MODEL
Where to start your search?
can help you search the library catalog (OBIS), many of the full text and article indexing databases, as well as digital repositories from colleges, universities, research centers, and other open-access archives on the web.
Subject-Headings
Subject-Heading Search (in OBIS)
Be aware of the variation of the terms: such as Block Printing; or Color Prints, or Wood-Engraving; or Ukiyoe etc.
Sample Subject:
Color prints, Japanese -- Exhibitions
| Ukiyoe -- Japan -- Tokyo |
Color prints, Japanese -- Edo period, 1600-1868
Wood-engraving, Japanese -- Edo period, 1600-1868
| Japan -- Civilization -- Edo period, 1600-1868 and more... |