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Sociology (UNH Durham)

Information on library resources, services, and more to get you started on researching sociology topics

Welcome!

Hello! This guide is to help you through all parts of library research.

Library research generally follows the process below.* 

*And note that most people repeat steps, including continuing to find sources while they're writing.

It's ok if this isn't how you work - they are general steps to help you if you get stuck.

But first...why are you doing library research?

Scholarly articles are really just a conversation between researchers over time.

Research helps you join that conversation by learning:

  • what information scholars agree on (background information), and
  • what researchers are talking about now (current articles and books).

That way you can build on their work and add something new.

Research is a PROCESS

This a general process - what's yours?

Remember - you will repeat steps as you need to!

Graphic showing the research process from choosing a topic to doing background research to refine your research question to planning a search to finding books and articles and reading them to sythesize the information on your topic.