Communication: Research & Writing Tips

1. When doing research for an assignment, first think about what your topic or thesis is.                                 
2. Next, brainstorm your topic. Think about the buzz words or keywords of your topic?
   • Make a list.
   • Start general with general terms.
   • Then narrow down to more specific keywords.
   • Don't type in whole sentences; stick to relevant keywords.
3. Use the Boolean Operators with your keywords to include the results you want and filter out what you don't want. 
   • AND, OR, NOT are the 3 Boolean Operators.
     (The librarians at North Carolina State University have produced a great introduction to Boolean Operators!)
4. When you find a good article, hunt down clues to others resources:
   • Check the footnotes/endnotes of the article.
   • Check the Bibliography of the article for more articles.
5. Begin with reading more general articles on your topic, then more specific ones related to your thesis.
   • You will find articles to support the different aspects of your essay and thesis.
6. Lastly, there are always librarians ready to help you. 
   • Stop by Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm to talk with a librarian.
   • Contact us through our Ask-A-Librarian form.
   • Email us at librarystaff@vanguard.edu.

ASK A
LIBRARIAN!

• Submit a Question
• Call 714-966-6382
• Stop by a Librarian's Office

Install LibKey Nomad!

• Go to libkeynomad.com 
• Select your browser
• Download and install
• Select Vanguard University
• Go! Check out Wikipedia, PubMed, Sage, and other websites and look for LibKey links.
• Look for the "Access Options" button on the websites you visit.
• 

Helpful Links