Physical Therapist Asistant (PTA)

Research Tips

• Read Your Assignment 
  • Take the time to read over your assignment carefully.  Take notice of the length, word count needed, topic guidelines, and resources required. 
• Narrowing your topic 
  • If you choose a broad topic, such as education, try to narrow it down further.  For example:  home schooling, college costs, Ivy Leagues v Public Universities. 
• Use Boolean Searches 
  • When using the databases, remember to use Boolean operators. These are AND, OR, NOT.  It is another way to narrow your results. 
  • For example: Red Tide and Florida, Red Tide not Florida 
• Use Library Resources 
  • Using credible library resources, either books, e-resources, or streaming video, will help you with your research paper.  It is much easier to find credible information using Library resources than it is to search the internet. While you may find information on your topic through an Internet search, it will be up to you to determine the validity of the information.  Instructors will expect your resources to be of a scholarly nature. 
• Citing Your Work 
  • Remember you must cite your work.  Giving proper credit to the sources you used is vital.  Many students lose points through improper citation or no citations.   

Your librarian is here to help you with all of your research and citation needs.