Research Help
Getting Started with a Topic
Select a Topic
Select a topic that is interesting to you. It should be not so broad that there is way too much information or so narrow that very little has been written about it. Librarians can suggest ways to make a topic more manageable.
Consult with your instructor for help in selecting a topic, and to be certain you understand the requirements for the assignment.
Find Background Information
Read background information in your textbook or an encyclopedia article. Librarians can assist you in finding background information on a topic.
- Biography in Context This link opens in a new windowBiographical information for over 5,200 people across all areas of life.
- College in Context This link opens in a new windowA broad collection of resources covering all basic topics frequently encountered in college. Contains full text access to The Economist, The New York Times, and Newsweek.
Find Books
Search for books and other information in the library catalog or from other libraries. Librarians can assist you in finding and requesting items.
- Books at NelsonA guide to finding and using books.
- Library Catalog This link opens in a new windowNelson Memorial Library's (Waxahachie) online catalog. Find books, DVDs, eBooks, course Reserves, and more.
- FirstSearch This link opens in a new windowExpert search tool for finding resources owned by libraries worldwide.
Find Articles
Find journal articles in a general research database or a subject specific database. Librarians can help you use these and other library resources.
- Articles at NelsonA guide to finding and using articles at Nelson University.
Find Additional Sources
Check the appropriate Subject Guide for recommended sources, including websites.
Ask for Help
Schedule an appointment with a librarian to learn more about research tools and techniques.
Avoiding Plagiarism
What is plagiarism?
At its most basic level, plagiarism is using someone else's work without giving them credit. Not cool.
How can I make sure I'm not plagiarizing?
The most common method of avoiding plagiarism is to make sure you correctly cite the resource whenever you summarize, paraphrase, or quote something you didn't write. The easiest part of this is citing quotes: If you've used quotation marks (" "), make sure you have a citation immediately after them (how you do that citation is determined by your style guide - read on!). Paraphrasing is when you take someone else's sentence and reword it in your own words with the same meaning; this is a useful tool, just make sure you cite that, too, since the idea is someone else's. Summarizing is a little harder because it can involve multiple sentences where you succinctly shorten someone else's idea; this still needs to be cited, even though you're using your words (it goes back to whether or not it's your idea).
Do I really need to cite that?
When in doubt, cite it. If you're using someone else's words or ideas, give them credit. If you cannot say with absolute certainty that it is your original idea and words, then you should cite it to be safe.