Honors Thesis: Home

Welcome to the TSU-Library Learning Research Guide!

Throughout this guide, you will find a collection of tools, texts, and links to library databases and resources useful for finding information relevant to studies in art. All off-campus access to TSU online information resources is reserved for active and current TSU community member. The image below is an example of the off-campus login page. This is the only page you will use the TSU login information to access online information resources at the TSU Library Learning Center. 

Below is the example of TSU Library Learning Center login for information resources. Login in the same way we all login to Microsoft 365 using your TSU email and password to sign in.

Welcome to the  Texas Southern University Libraries' Research Paper Guide.  This guide contains links to helpful resources for each step of the research and writing process. 

What Are the Requirements of the Assignment

Inorder to be successful you have to read and understand the assignment. If you have questions or don't understand a part of the assignment your professor can provide clarification and answer questions.

Things to Consider

1. When is the assignment due?
2. How much time do you have to spend on the assignment/project/paper/thesis?
3. Who is your audience?
4. What evidence do you to support your project?
5. What are the absolute rules of the assignment, refer to the grading rubric or syllabus?

You have carefully read and understood your assignment, you can concentrate on choosing a topic and focusing on what aspect(s) about this topic will be the basis of your assignment. It is likely that your topic will change several times as you progress through the early stages of research, so don't worry if your first few ideas turn into dead ends.

Things to Consider

1. Choose a topic your interested in or want to learn more about.

2. Narrow your topic to something manageable. 

3. What or how many resources will your need?

4. Is it a 5 minute presentation or 15 page pager?

Examples

Narrow

1. Too Board: Post colonial literature in India

2. Better: postcolonial aspects of the work of Salman Rushdie  

3. Best:postcolonial dynamics of historical representation in Rushdie's Midnight's Children

Broaden Topic

1. Too narrow: women voting for Ross Perot in Poweshiek county

2. Better: success of third parties among Iowa voters

Source: Research Topic Grinnell College

When you have formulated your research question and have a clear idea of what  you are hoping to research, you are ready to begin the search for c resources (books, journal articles, websites, statistics, ect...). But before proceeding directly to search for resources, take a few minutes to formulate a research strategy. A research strategy is an organized "plan of attack" for consulting resources. Develop an outline or list major topic you want to discuss or explore in your paper.

Background Information

Encyclopedia

Primary Source

Primary sources are the evidence of history, original records or objects created by participants or observers at the time historical events occurred or even well after events, as in memoirs and oral histories.(ALA)

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources were created by someone who did not experience first-hand or participate in the events or conditions you’re researching. For a historical research project, secondary sources are generally scholarly books and articles.(Harvard Libguide)