Whether you’re a first-year student, transfer student, or simply new to academic research, this guide provides step-by-step guidance through the research process. Work through the sections in order to complete your first project, then return to specific sections as needed.
Taking UCWR 110 (College Writing Seminar)? This research guide serves students and researchers who need general research support outside of the UCWR course context. You have a dedicated research guide:
Pick something that interests you! Consider what you care about, your interests, hobbies, concerns, and values. Think about products, services, or apps you use daily, or issues that impact you and those around you. Pick a manageable topic that’s not too broad or narrow and frame it as an open-ended question.
After choosing your topic and developing a research question, gather background information to help with next research steps. Background sources—like dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks—are great starting points for research. They can help you:
Searching in databases is different from using Google. Databases don’t understand full questions or natural phrases, so you need to search using keywords.
To get the best results:
Example: For “Why does AI accuracy matter?” the concepts are artificial intelligence, accuracy, and matter. Search: (artificial intelligence OR AI) AND (accuracy OR validity) AND (importance OR significance).
Loyola provides access to hundreds of databases—essentially “one-stop shops” containing academic articles, book reviews, statistics, and news articles. View our full Database list. Some provide full-text articles, others provide citations to materials hosted elsewhere.
Remember: You can always Ask a librarian for database assistance.
See Search Strategies for more advanced information.
Search the library catalog (the big search box on the homepage) for books and e-books. Use your Loyola ID to check out physical books from Cudahy or Lewis Library circulation desks. Use your UVID and password to access ebooks.
Article databases are online collections of journal citations and full-text articles searchable by keywords, subject headings, and authors.
Find subject-specific databases through Research Guides.
The library catalog can also help you find articles. Filter by selecting Articles under Resource Type, or Peer-reviewed journals under Availability for scholarly sources.
Primary sources are original documents, artifacts, or firsthand accounts from the time period you’re studying. These materials provide direct evidence about your research topic and are essential for developing primary source research skills.
Primary sources help you understand historical contexts, analyze original documents, and develop critical thinking skills about evidence and interpretation.
It can be hard to know which sources to trust with so much information available. Tools like the CORE Method can help you evaluate them.
There’s no one “best” source—what’s best depends on what you need for your research.
Ask yourself:
Your answers will guide you to the right type of source at each stage of your research.
Additional evaluation resources:
Citing sources is essential in academic writing —it shows you’ve done proper research, gives credit to original authors, allows readers to locate your sources, and helps you avoid plagiarism. There are several major citation styles, each tailored to different academic disciplines and writing conventions.
Common citation styles include:
Each style has its own rules for in-text citations and bibliographic entries (like a Works Cited, References, or Bibliography page). For example:
Formatting guidelines also vary—such as title pages, headers, page numbers, and spacing—so it’s important to follow the specific rules of the style you’re using.
Helpful citation tools and resources:
Need help with citations? Visit our comprehensive Citations and Citation Management tools pages.
Librarians are here to help with research and library questions through multiple channels:
Ready for more advanced research techniques? Visit our Research Help page for intermediate skills, specialized tools, and advanced research methods.
