Prepare
Before you approach a search engine, there are a few steps you should consider.

Project Planning

• Make sure you understand the project directions and expectations.
• Ask questions to clarify your understanding if something is not clear.
• Break your assignment into smaller tasks.
• Make a plan with deadlines for each part of your project so you can get them done on time.
  
  

Topic Selection & Research Questions

• Pick a topic for your paper or project.
• Narrow the topic, if needed.
• Develop a complex main question for your research.
• Develop some simpler supporting questions that will help you answer your main question.

Presearch / Keywords

• Ask yourself what you already know about your topic.
• Write down an initial list of important keywords (e.g. ideas, phrases, people, jargon) related to your topic.
• Perform a presearch by reading a reference source article about your topic or perform a brief search about your topic.
• Add any new terms to your keyword list after you finish your presearch.

Organize

• Choose a strategy for collecting and organizing information you find during your search (e.g. Google Drive, Evernote, NoodleTools, paper, Diigo).
• Set up folders, labels, tags, Google Chrome Extensions or other aides for helping you stay organized. 

Find resources (e.g. handouts, videos, tutorials) related to the Prepare step on the Resources page.