Library Research: Stage 5 - Information Collection

What is This?  Now that you have chosen a focus for your project, your next task is to find the specific information you need to support that focus.  Some of it will be from sources you found in the exploration stage, but you will probably also need to go back and get more specific information. 

What Should I Expect?  When you first begin this stage, the task of gathering all this information may seem overwhelming.  However, you should be more interested in doing it because you have chosen a focus that interests you.  You've come this far, so you know you can do it!

What Should I Do?  

• You are only after information that specifically relates to your chosen focus, so always be aware of what you need.  Think of it as finding the missing pieces of the puzzle. Don't get distracted by pieces that don't fit your puzzle, and don't waste time collecting puzzle pieces that you already have in place.

• At this point, you will also need to take specific notes from your sources and record the bibliographic details (author, title, year, etc.) for each source.  Click here for a great tool for doing both.  As you take notes, remember to write down how the information relates to your focus.

• This is an especially good time to ask your librarian for help. They are experts at this, so they can lead you to some of those obscure sources that will really impress your teacher!

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