The Assignment Calculator was developed by University of Minnesota to help students manage their time and finish their research project on time. 

Learn: Insider's Guide to the Library: The Research Process

• Choosing a Topic

  Brainstorm for topic ideas, tips

• Background Information

  Encyclopedias, general news articles, bibliographies

• Finding Articles

  Identify important concepts, choose subject area, recent or historical, choose database or index, search, evaluate search results

• Finding Materials at University of Illinois Libraries

  Necessary citation information, finding and requesting journals, tutorial

• Evaluation

  Evaluating web-based resources

• Citing Sources

  Documenting resources used in your research.

• Share Your Research

  Communicating your research with the larger community

Strategies for focusing a broad research topic

Are you overwhelmed with how much information you are finding?  Try the suggestions below:

1. Develop a tentative focus  
List what you already know and questions you have about the topic and focus on those you find most interesting.

2. Find background information on your topic   
Check our Electronic Reference Collection for an article in an online encyclopedia you can trust.  

3. Look for magazine articles  
Magazine articles tend to be shorter and can provide a general idea of key issues or controversies related to your topic. Try:



4. Search CQ Researcher 
This is a great source for finding background information and overviews of a wide array of topics.

5. Choose a particular perspective on the issue 
How do scholars from different subject fields approach your topic? Finding different points of view can provide you with a better sense of direction. Look through our subject-specific databases listed on the Find Articles page: 

6. Limit your search to a specific time period  
Look for date limit options when searching a database.

Need more help? Ask a Librarian for assistance.