ECON 3P01: History of Economic Thought I

The Keys to Success

• Research is always a multistep process.
• Research is often interdisciplinary.
• Think broadly about your topic; then narrow and refine the focus.
• Keep a record of everything you find and where and how you find it. 

The Steps to Success

1. Identify Your Topic
2. Gather Background Information
3. Focus Your Research
4. Evaluate Your Sources

• Your topic is the idea you are researching.
• Brainstorm and create a concept map of the topic.
• Think about and visualize your topic from many different angles.
• Note related and interrelated topics.
• Note terminology and synonyms that can broaden your searching power.
• Identify key concepts and list synonyms for them.

• Get a broad overview of the subject or topic.
• Use both general and subject-specific encyclopedias and dictionaries.
• Get more focused, in-depth, or historical background on the topic.
• Follow up with more recent information.

• Gather up-to-date, current information on the topic.
• Use appropriate periodical information from popular, trade, and scholarly sources.
• Use high-quality, appropriate web sites.
• Gather in-depth, focused information on the topic.
• Search for research studies, surveys, and experiments about your topic.

Identifying Academic Sources: A Checklist

• Authoritative: written by a recognized expert in the field
• Sourced: credits information sources in footnotes or a bibliography
• Peer-reviewed: checked by reviewers or editors prior to publication
• Objective: examines a topic fairly (is not biased)
• Written for academics: the audience of the work may include students, professors, or others interested in academic research

Types of academic sources may include:

• Books published by university presses or scholarly publishers
• Articles in peer-reviewed journals
• Published reports