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CCJ 6936: Current Issues in Law Enforcement

State your topic as a question you wish to answer
Test your topic question with your instructor, colleagues or reference librarian for clarification
Identify main concepts and develop a list of keywords from your topic statement
Gather background information on your topic

2. Identify the search tools you will need to find information on your topic

USF Libraries Catalog for books, media, and other online resources owned by the USF Libraries
USF Libraries Databases for access to information in articles and book chapters. Select from a list of criminology related databases.
Use specialized Google services such as Google Scholar to locate specialized reports and research materials on criminal justice issues

3. Develop a list of keywords and concepts

Become familiar with the language of the discipline and professional jargon to develop appropriate keywords to search online search tools such as databases, catalogs, and search engines.
Keep track of successful searches by writing down the keyword used and how you combined them to retrieve results

4. Evaluate what you find

Carefully look at author credentials, date of publication, editor and publisher to determine authority and credibility of source.
Carefully examine the intended audience to for the source to determine if it is the appropriate source for your needs. Examine the content for obvious errors, objectivity, support documentation, and coverage of topic.
Understand the difference between scholarly journals, professional literature, and popular sources so you know how to use them

5. Manage what you find by using the appropriate citation format and/or citation manager and avoid plagiarism

Understand how the basic elements of the format style such as APA citation format
Understand the pitfalls of plagiarism and how to avoid it.