Welcome to Your English 161 Research Guide
Welcome to the UIC Library! 
During your library sessions, you will be learning the basics of how to conduct college-level research. Your instructor and the librarians have developed these sessions to help you complete your research assignments as successfully as possible. After the sessions you should be able to:
- Determine keywords related to your topic.
- Find books and articles on your topic.
- Determine the difference between a scholarly and popular article.
If you need more help once you start researching, just ask a librarian!
Research is a Process
Research is Messy
Research can be messy, but that's okay. You may end up changing your topic as you go, and you may not follow these steps in order. As long as you cover them all, that's research.
Research is a Conversation
Making a Mind Map of Your Topic
Mindmapping, or concept mapping as it is also called, can be an effective way of brainstorming. By plotting out your topic in a visual manner, you can discover connections and identify any missing pieces. It's also a great way to develop keywords and synonyms for database searching.