News & Events

From Idea to Paper: How the Library Can Support Your Research Journey

The research journey can be both exciting and challenging. The UDC Library plays an important role in supporting this journey by providing you access to a wide range of resources and support. In this post, we're exploring how the library can help you navigate each stage of your research—from the first spark of an idea to a polished final paper.

Developing (and Refining) Your Research Topic

Every great research project starts with a compelling idea. The library’s resources are a treasure trove of inspiration:

• Explore current topics in your subject area using UDC Search. UDC Search will help you find books (print and digital), articles, and media material.
• Conduct preliminary searches in our databases to uncover potential topics in your research area. Academic Search Ultimate and Opposing Viewpoints in Context are good databases for getting inspiration on a broad range of subjects.
• Read our “What do I want to write about?” blog post for brainstorming and mind mapping exercises that will help you explore different aspects of your research topic.

Background Research and Literature Review

Once you've decided on your topic, it's time to dive deep into existing research:

• Review our Help Guides for tips on finding books, articles, internet sources, data and statistics, and more.
• Explore our Research Guides for recommendations on finding sources for a specific subject area or discipline.
• Access over 270 online library databases from the comfort of your home or favorite study spot! Databases give you access to a wide variety of information, and they’re especially useful for finding scholarly articles and books. Databases like Credo Reference and Opposing Viewpoints in Context are excellent for initial background research.
• Apply search filters to save time and get more relevant search results.
• Find and request books from other Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC) libraries in UDC Search.
• If you need a book or article not at UDC Library or another WRLC library, our interlibrary loan service can help you borrow a copy from another institution. (Just be sure to leave enough time for it to be delivered to UDC.)
• Utilize citation tools to keep track of your sources from the get-go.

Selecting and Evaluating Your Sources

Before you use sources in your research, it’s important to confirm they're credible and relevant to your needs:

• Visit our Evaluating Sources Help Guide or watch our Evaluating Sources video to learn strategies for assessing the sources you find.
• Learn the differences between scholarly and popular sources and primary and secondary sources.
• Use lateral reading techniques to verify what you’re reading as you’re reading it.

Writing and Citing

As you begin to shape your research into a paper or project, remember these valuable resources:

• Explore the Learning Express database for self-paced modules on improving your writing skills.
• Find other writing resources, including access to UDC’s subscription to Grammarly, on our IGED Writing Courses Research Guide.
• Watch our “What is Plagiarism?” video to identify ways to avoid plagiarism and “Why and when do we cite?” to learn why citations are important.
• Review our Citing Sources Help Guide for an explanation on the differences between in-text citations and reference list citations. The Help Guide also includes links to up-to-date citation style guidelines and recommendations for synthesizing information across multiple sources.
• Try citation tools, like Zotero, to organize your sources and generate reference lists and bibliographies with ease.

Publication and Dissemination

Want to share your findings with the world? We can help with that too:

• Discover publishing resources suggested by UDC librarians. These resources are primarily geared toward faculty and graduate students. Looking for something different? Send us an email!
• Learn about open access publishing options and how they can increase the visibility and accessibility of your work.
• Contact your advisors for guidelines and requirements for submitting your thesis or dissertation to UDC’s online institutional repository.

The UDC Library offers resources and services to empower you throughout your research journey. By leveraging our support, you can enhance the quality of your research, overcome challenges, and produce meaningful projects. Whether you're just starting out or nearing the finish line, we're here to encourage your success every step of the way.

Ready to get started? UDC librarians are ready to assist you at any step in your research. Visit the library’s website to explore our resources, or stop by the reference desk to chat with a librarian. You can also schedule a research appointment (in-person or online), send us an email, call us at 202-274-5104, or chat with us on the library website.

Looking for more resources about the research process and opportunities to practice your research skills? Send us an email to enroll in Library 101! Library 101 is a series of free, self-paced learning modules in Blackboard designed to teach you about research and library skills through short lessons.