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Research Rules to Live By


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  1. Don't re-invent the wheel: use others' work to fuel your own research
  2. Let your feet (and fingers) do the walking: physical browsing can be as good or better than electronic searching
  3. Schedule for serendipity: browsing the library stacks is one of the best ways to discover new resources
  4. Get to know bibliographic records. They are your friends.
  5. Don't do it alone: Use library services (ILL, Librarians, Reference desks, Chat, etc.)
  6. Google is good (but only to a point)
  7. Start broadly then limit thoughtfully
  8. Use Union lists: learn what is "out there"
  9. Don't avoid library catalogs
  10. Don't forget about print resources
  11. Learning about the history of research in the subject and the relevant scholars is as important as (and is part of) researching the subject
  12. If you find what looks to be a promising source, don't give up on it
  13. Keep a good record of everything you look at (or at least everything you take notes from)
  14. Join academic listservs They are an invaluable resource (for now and later).  
    • Scholars or professionals in the field can be the best source for hard to find information.
    • Joining listservs can help you learn about the profession and give you a good avenue for connecting with scholars outside of your institution.
    • To identify key listervs in your field, speak with your course instructors, library subject specialists, or browse through these listserv lists:
      • http://www.h-net.org/lists/
      • http://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html
The University of Arizona Libraries | 1510 E. University Blvd. | Tucson, AZ 85721-0055 | Tel 520.621.6406 | Fax 520.621.9733
webadmin@u.library.arizona.edu | Library Policies | Last modified: October 6, 2010