When you do a search, you will often end up with some results that do not help answer your research question or further your argument. To make sure you are reading articles or book chapters that will be useful, look for clues in the citation and abstract.
The citation contains:
- the article title
- journal title (or book title)
- publication date
- subjects, which provide valuable clues about whether or not this is a good match for your research.
In many databases and the library catalog, you can click on the title of the article or book to read the abstract or a short summary, or the table of contents of the book. These can give you a clear idea of whether or not the article or book is relevant.
