Library Research - learn how to find information on any topic: Getting Started

Walks you through how to choose a topic, identify keywords, develop a search strategy, evaluate your materials and document your findings.


It's often very hard to know just where to start when you've been given an essay topic or assignment. This LibGuide will help you through the research process.

In particular, you will learn how to:

  1. choose a topic if one isn't supplied
  2. find relevant keywords to use in your search
  3. create a search strategy plan
  4. evaluate your search results
  5. document your findings

CSU Libraries Five Steps to Better Research

Click on image below to view 2-3 minute tutorial from Colorado State University Libraries that covers

  • How do I formulate a research question?
  • How can I find other ways to search for my topic?
  • How can I make the research process quicker and easier?


This tutorial requires the free Macromedia Flash (version 5 or higher) player.

Colorado State University Libraries Tutorials (Colorado State University Libraries) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
