Once you have selected a preliminary topic or research question you would like to explore, think about what type of information you need to research and know in order to make a well-rounded, thorough research paper.

For example, you might want to know:

• What are the author's political and personal beliefs?
• What is the historical context of what was happening when the work was published?
• How did readers respond to the work when it was first published vs in the present day?
• Are there any feminist interpretations of the work already published?
• Are there any critics who have focused on specific symbolisms in the work?
• What does a specific culture reference mean?

Thinking through what type of information you want to find can help you in determining not only what you search, but also what types of sources might answer your information need and where to find them.

This chart shows what level of information you can find in different types of sources. Click the link following the image to view a larger image of the chart.

Below is another chart that discusses different types of sources and the information you can find in those sources. The full chart can be viewed using the link.

Connect what you want to know with what types of sources would have that information. Below are some examples of considering which sources would best fit the given information needs.