Use what you know about your topic to create a search strategy.
- The pages on this guide offer search tips for particular starting points (e.g., if you have someone's name, go to the "Find sources about a person or organization" page).
- List the "proper nouns" associated with your topic (like people, places, names of events). These can be search terms.
- Review footnotes and bibliographies in sources you've read -- encyclopedia articles, books, and journal articles -- to get ideas for sources. If you're not sure where to go from your footnotes, contact a librarian to talk about your search.