Select a topic that interests you. This statement seems obvious, but if you're researching something that doesn't interest you, you probably won't give it the same thought or effort as you would a topic that intellectually engages you.
Focus Your Topic. Many researchers find this to be one of the toughest parts of research. Often a researcher's initial topic may be too broad or general. Concept Mapping is a graphic method of "mapping" out a complex topic and its different facets. Think of an image of a wheel with several spokes coming from a central hub. Place your main topic in the hub. Think about the different issues or aspects of your topic, and write one aspect or issue at the end of each spoke. This exercise can help you select which issues or aspects you address within your report.
Browse the Literature. Do some initial research on your topic to get a sense of what issues or challenges are wrapped up in your topic. Start with basic reference sources like encyclopedias, and browse the magazine or journal literature to get a sense of your subject. This initial review of information can also help you select useful search terms.
Signing into PittCat gives you access to the most results. The sign in option is in the upper right hand corner of your screen.
To begin a search, enter a term in the “search anything” box. You can select Books, Articles, and More to search for items across the entire library system including journal articles, images, ebooks, and more. Use the Library Catalog option to search for items available both electronically and physically in our libraries such as books, videos, music scores and more. The Course Reserves option will help you find materials put on reserve by instructors for a specific course.
The Results Screen shows you a list of items with basic information--click on a title to get a more detailed overview of the item you’ve selected. This detailed view gives you much more information about the item. You can see where the item is located and ways to email or print the record as well as how to cite. You may also see an abstract for the item or a table of contents if available.
You can Refine Your Results by using the menu on the left. If you only want a physical copy of the book pick “library holdings” or if you want an electronic copy of a book, choose e-book.
If Full-Text Content is available, you can get the full-text by clicking on the item title or the "available online" link.
You can add Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT) into the Simple Search (the default search box) by adding them in all caps.
