What is Research?

Research isn't a straightforward process. You may change directions, retrace previous steps, or even change your topic. This is a normal part of the process. Starting early will allow you to enjoy this process of inquiry, instead of being frustrated by it.

Searching online can provide introductory information, current coverage of your topic, and inform the terms you decide to use when searching for scholarly resources in the Library Catalog.

Every time you begin your search, ask yourself “What kind of information do I need right now? Why?”
What?	Where?	Why?
Basic, introductory and/or factual information for a topic.	Wikipedia; Encyclopedias; Reference Sources; Google; etc.	To get a general, introductory, and broad sense of a topic. A place to start!
The latest, most current stories and information on a topic.	Journalistic sources (newspapers, news sites, news magazines, etc.)	To find out what’s going on in a topic right now. Or to find first reports on an event.
Objects to be analyzed to discover information about your topic.	Primary Sources (Websites, social media accounts, a film, pamphlets, etc.)	To provide examples of abstract ideas, general patterns, how stakeholders are framing your topic, etc.
Data, statistics, and numbers concerning your topic.	Government Agencies; Nonpartisan Research Groups Pew Research Center; Census.gov;	To see what studies reveal about your topic.
More thoughtful but nonexpert information on a topic. Cutting edge information, the most advanced understanding of a topic	Substantive sources (often in general-interest print or online magazines and trade publications)	To see how a topic might be explored and contextualized at some length for a non-expert audience.
Scholarly sources such as academic journals and books (they are often peer-reviewed)	Scholarly sources such as academic journals and books (they are often peer-reviewed)	To learn how experts in a field understand a topic.
Adapted Research Sources Chart: Choosing the Right Source for the Right Created by Christopher Jackson, Jake Khoury, and Jennifer Stout; Virginia Commonwealth University.

Boolean Logic

Boolean operators form the basis of database logic. Searching with Boolean logic `AND`, `OR`, and `NOT` will focus a search particularly, when your topic contains multiple search terms.

Also, it can be generative to think of your research question in Boolean Logic. You'll begin to define your focus while researching your topic!

Begin by examining your research question to determine the `MAJOR CONCEPTS` or `TOPICS` with a specific meaning.

Then you will start to ideate different `SYNONYMS` for your main concepts.

Finally, expand your main concepts by thinking in `BROADER` and `NARROW`

SEARCHING THE CATALOG

Databases

EXPLORING YOUR SEARCH RESULTS

By default, the results are sorted by relevance.
Utilize Tweak my results to filter within results:
- Library: Cooper Union, NYU, New School, New York Historical Society, and New York School of Interior Design to name a few.
- Resource Type: Books, Video Journals Archival Materials, Audio, Databases, Scores, and much more!
- Subjects: Art, Architecture, Business, Philosophy, Globalization, Social Justice, and Literary Criticism are a few examples.
- Publication Date: This can be changed to date-newest or date-oldest.
- Languages.
- Call Number Group: Library of Congress Classification Codes

CALL NUMBERS

NA The First letter of a Library of Congress call number indicates the general class the material falls within. The numbers that follow the letter define the subject of the material.

.C## The "cutter" number is the next set of numbers separated by a period. The cutter numbers indicate the author or title of the material.

2022 The year of a publication follows the cutter number to indicate the edition.

Check out the Library of Congress Classification Outline to understand the organization of the subjects and subsections in the stacks.

Research