Academic research is the type of research that results in writing a paper that either presents information or argues a position. This pretty much differs from practical research like if you plan to do reviews for gadgets, movies, music albums…

Academic research may start with a bit of Googling. To find some relevant books and journals on a particular topic you might want to try Google Scholar. This would help you build a list of related literature that you will consult for your study. You might also want to Google for the backgrounds of the authors to make sure they’re credible enough (meaning they’re either the proponent of the idea or a leading figure in that field).

Now the next step is to find those books. Well, you may just order those books online but a better alternative is take a trip to your library. Here are some tips:

• Check the catalog for the books – Weed out what materials are available and what are not.
• Bring along note cards – Prepare to jot down quotes, summaries, and paraphrases along with the bibliographic information about the book.
• Keep a research log – Keep track of the tasks that you have done and what you have to do.
• Go from general to specific – You will have several visits to the library depending on the length of your study.
• Talk to the librarians – Tell the reference librarian your topic and ask for help on finding sources. It’s their job to know the available books for research in there.