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Develop Your Topic
- Picking a topic involves doing background research or preliminary searching. Learn more about this process.
- Learn something about the people, events, facts, and terms connected with the topic using reference sources.
- Decide which direction you will take in your research and what question(s) you are trying to answer. Learn how.
Books
- Written by those with experience and expertise, books provide breadth and depth on your topic.
- Read one chapter or the whole thing. You can find information relevant to your topic by using the table of contents or the index.
- eBooks provide instant access to complete books and can be viewed or downloaded.
- Miami University Libraries Search is a great starting place to search for books, DVDs, and eBooks (just click "Books" underneath the search blank).
- Watch this short video on Finding Books using the Miami University Libraries Catalog (4:52 Minutes; Andy Revelle; 2025)
- You can request print books or DVDs to be shipped for free from any Miami University or OhioLINK library to any of Miami's libraries. Here's a short video on Requesting Books in Miami University Libraries Search (2 minutes; Jennifer Hicks; 2025)
Frustrations?
- Scholarly research can become complicated and challenging - talk with a librarian who is there to listen and help problem solve.
- Librarians are experienced in navigating the complex library system and will suggest where to search next, search terms to use, and available sources in the field.
- Chat, call, email, or schedule a Research Consultation with a librarian at Hamilton or Middletown.
- Stop by the library for assistance when we are open: Hamilton or Middletown.