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Buena Vista University

Library DIY

Welcome to the Library DIY, created to help you walk through some of the most commonly asked research and library questions!

Where to search

Deciding where to search 

What type(s) of sources might you need? 

Books, research articles, news articles, government documents, and other sources provide different types of information and, especially, different amounts of detail. Which source you need depends on what you want to do with it. You may be looking for a brief overview, a quick fact, or an in-depth analysis. Until you know what you need, it can be difficult to decide where to look for the information.

Does your assignment recommend certain source types (e.g. peer-reviewed articles, newspaper articles, statistics, books, videos)? What role do sources play in the project? Ask yourself these questions to determine the types of information sources most useful for your research:

  • Which sources will provide answers to your questions quickly and easily (It's not always the Internet!!)
  • Which sources will provide reliable information?
  • Do you need current or historical information on your topic?
  • Do you need primary or secondary sources?
  • Do you need descriptive or analytical sources? 

Typically, a well-researched paper will not only include a diverse set of perspectives, but it will include references to a variety of sources that support your ideas. Approaching the issue from multiple perspectives will add complexity to your position, which will lead to a stronger paper.

Who has written about/discussed your topic? 

A topic like "race relations in prisons" might be explored by scholars in sociology, law, criminal justice, public policy, psychology, or ethnic studies. Search by discipline or your academic field by using the databases and other library resources recommended in the Subject Guides.

Locating sources

Books: Search the BVU Library catalog. For help finding books, visit Finding Books on Your Topic.

Articles:  Looking for articles? A good place to start your research is with the multidisciplinary databases the library makes available.  Here are a few to try:

Subject-Specific Research: The Library's Database listing provides a good starting point for selecting databases. Alternately, you can browse the Subject Guides for more specialized resources. For more guidance look at Finding Peer-Reviewed Articles.

Newspaper Sources: All our current newspaper databases are listed here. 

Looking for data?  Explore the databases listed below. Also, consider searching government information, and lastly, search Google for data on your topic. Search for "[your topic] statistics" or "[your topic] data".

Government Information:  Consider these starting points:

  • USA.gov:The official web portal of the United States Government
  • America's Founding Documents: Explore the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights at this National Archives webpage.
  • Catalog of U.S. Government Publications: Finding tool for federal publications that includes descriptive information for historical and current publications as well as direct links to the full electronic documents, when available.
  • Govinfo: Online database that provides free access to official publications from all three branches of the United States government.
  • United States Government Manual: Official handbook provided by the federal government on the agencies of the three branches of government

Still not sure where to search? Click here to chat with a BVU Librarian, or send an email to library@bvu.edu.

Need help? Email library@bvu.edu or chat with a BVU Librarian.

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