Interlibrary Loan
- This is one of the most valuable service the library provides. Even though UM Libraries provides access to a good number of resources, like all libraries, we do not have everything. Interlibrary Loan can help you get access to the materials to which the library does not own. https://guides.lib.olemiss.edu/c.php?g=817754
Reference Management Software
- Use a reference management software to manage your bibliographic data and related research materials. I prefer Zotero but there are other options available such as Mendeley. Reference management software like Zotero can not only help you organize your sources, it can also save you time by automatically generating footnotes and bibliographies based on your Zotero library using the Zotero plugin available for Microsoft Word and Google Docs. The library provides a handy Zotero start-up guide: https://guides.lib.olemiss.edu/zotero.
Keep a Research Journal
- Use a research journal to help you keep track of (and link to) the databases you find most useful. Also, use this journal to keep track of all of the keywords you have tried. You can notate which words have worked and which have not. This is also a good place to jot down notes about what strategies seem to be working and which ones are not. All of this may seem like too much trouble, but if you invest the time now, it will save you time later (and serve as good habit to incorporate into your research workflow).
Searching is an Iterative Process
- Remember, do not expect to find what you are looking for on your very first search. Searching is an iterative process that requires patience. Scan the results of the initial search and refine your search accordingly by adding new terms and synonyms and removing old ones. Also, do not settle for the first few sources listed on the search results page. You should scan at least the first 10-20 results.
