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Designing a Library Research Strategy

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  1. Select your TOPIC; limit it to a manageable scope. If your topic is too broad, you will find more information than you can retrieve. If it is too narrow, you will find very little information.

  2. Consult GUIDES to the literature and to research. These assist with research methodology and list standard reference sources.

  3. Consult an ENCYCLOPEDIA (general or subject-specific) for an overview of your topic, time period, place, or technology: Note key words, names, or subject terms that can be used in your search. Also look for bibliographies at the end of encyclopedia articles. They will lead you to additional sources of information.

  4. Use DICTIONARIES (general or discipline-specific) for unknown or obscure words and terms, and for related terms.

  5. Check for the availability of BIBLIOGRAPHIES on your subject to identify lists of books and/or articles already gathered by previous researchers. If there are no specialized bibliographies on your topic, check the indexes or table of contents of more general subject bibliographies, and the bibliographies of recent books. Consider using catalogs of special collections and special libraries; they can serve as specialized bibliographies.

  6. Consult BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES (biographical dictionaries or directories) for information on names discovered in your search. Specialized materials concentrate on biographies of famous people according to gender, geographic area, ethnic background, occupation, etc. Some sources have excellent bibliographies and lists of a person's works. Consider contacting current practitioners for firm brochures.

  7. Search for books, periodical articles, and illustrations.

    1. PERIODICALS generally provide more up-to-date and detailed information than books. Use relevant keywords found in the steps above to look in periodical and newspaper indexes for citations and/or abstracts. Once you have identified a list of articles, check the availability of magazine titles in the Library Catalog or the Find a Journal page. The Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals and Art Abstracts are recommended for most architecture, interior design, and planning topics.

    2. BOOKS--AUTHOR/TITLE. Using the author, designer, or title citations you found through the steps above, search the University of Texas Library Catalog to determine availability and location of these books.

    3. BOOKS AND PERIODICALS--SUBJECT SEARCHING. Although you may use keywords to search the Library Catalog, you must use Library of Congress subject headings for thorough subject searches and for any subject search of the card catalog in the Perry Castaņeda Library. Consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings to determine the proper subject heading(s) for your topic. Note references to broader, narrower, and related terms.

    4. ILLUSTRATIONS. Consult illustration indexes, illustrated dictionaries, periodical indexes, and pictorial works to locate plans, elevations, sections, views, and other illustrations of major monuments.

  8. FOOTNOTES AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES. For additional sources check the footnotes and bibliographies of the books and articles that you found most useful.

  9. After locating periodical articles and books, you are ready to consider additional sources to supplement and help you evaluate your data.

    1. BOOK REVIEWS help evaluate material. Consult book review indexes such as Book Review Digest (Z 1219 C95 PCL Reference) or search for book reviews in periodical indexes such as Academic Search Complete or InfoTrac OneFile.

    2. EXHIBITION CATALOGS are classed by subject and are widely available.

    3. DISSERTATIONS are indexed by subject and are often available through interlibrary loan or purchase if not held by the University of Texas Libraries.

    4. OTHER SOURCES include audio-visual materials such as SLIDES, DVD's, COMPACT DISCS and VIDEOS; INTERNET RESOURCES; CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS; GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS; ORAL HISTORIES; ARCHIVAL MATERIALS; ORGANIZATIONS; STATISTICAL SOURCES; PATENTS; or PERSONAL INTERVIEWS, to name a few.

  10. For additional information, look for one of the following recommended research and writing aids, or check with a reference librarian.

    • Andranovich, Gregory D. Doing Urban Research. Newbury Park: Sage, 1993.
      HT 110 A56 1993 PAL

    • Balian, Edward S. The Graduate Research Guidebook: a Practical Approach to Doctoral/Masters Research. 3rd ed. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1994.
      LB 2369 B24 1994 ARCH Ref., PCL

    • Barnet, Sylvan. A Short Guide to Writing About Art. 5th ed. New York: Longman, 1997.
      N 7476 B37 1997 ARCH Ref., ARCH Reserve, FAL Ready Ref.

    • Bechtel, Robert B., et. al., Methods in Environmental and Behavioral Research. Reprint ed.: Malabar, FL: Krieger, 1990.
      BF 353 M48 1990 ARCH Ref.
      Orig. ed.: New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1987. BF 353 M48 1987 PCL

    • Booth, Wayne C. The Craft of Research. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 2003.
      Q 180.55 M4 B66 2003 ARCH Ref., PCL, FAL, FAL Dict., Benson Ref.

    • Campbell, William Giles. Form and Style: Theses, Reports, Term Papers. 8th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
      LB 2369 C3 1990 ARCH Ref., PCL Ref.

    • Chappell, David. Report Writing for Architects. New York : Nichols Publishing Co., 1984.
      NA 2540 C48 1984 ARCH Ref.

    • Chicago Manual of Style. 15th ed. Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 2003.
      Z 253 U69 2003 PCL Ref., PCL Stacks, PAL Ref., PAL, Benson Ref., FAL Ref., LSL Ref., FAL Dict.

    • Critical Terms for Art History, edited by Robert S. Nelson and Richard Shiff. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 2003.
      N 34 C75 2003 ARCH, FAL

    • Denzin, Norman K. Handbook of Qualitative Research. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2000.
      H 62 H2455 2000 ARCH (3rd ed., 2005: PCL)

    • Fellows, Richard. Research Methods for Construction. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1997.
      TH 213.5 F45 1997 ARCH

    • Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. NY: Modern Language Association, 2003.
      LB 2369 G53 2003 ARCH Ref., PCL Ref., PCL Stacks, FAL Dict.

    • Goldman, Bernard. Reading and Writing in the Arts: a handbook. Rev. ed. Detroit, Wayne State Univ. Press, 1978.
      NX 620 G6 1978 ARCH Ref., FAL Ref.

    • Jones, Lois Swan. Art Information: Research Methods and Resources. 3rd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt 1990.
      N 85 J64 1990 ARCH Ref., FAL, FAL Ready Ref.

    • Kleinbauer, W. Eugene. Research Guide to the History of Western Art. Chicago: American Library Association, 1982.
      N 380 K56 1982 PCL, FAL Ref.

    • Kliment, Stephen A. Writing for Design Professionals : a Guide to Writing Successful Proposals, Letter, Brochures, Portfolios, Reports, Presentations, and Job Applications for Architects, Engineers, and Interior Designers. New York : W.W. Norton, 1998.
      NA 1996 K57 1998 ARCH Ref.

    • Martinez-Pons, Manuel. Research in the Social Sciences and Education : Principles and Process. Lanham, Md. University Press of America, 1996.
      H 62 M2844 1996 ARCH Ref.

    • Miller, Delbert C. Handbook of Research Design and Social Measurement. 5th ed. Newbury Park: Sage, 1991.
      H 62 M44 1991 PCL

    • Preece, R.A. Starting Research: an Introduction to Academic Research and Dissertation Writing. London: Pinter, 1994.
      LB 2369 P69 1994 ARCH Ref.

    • Publication Manual for the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Assoc., 2001.
      BF 76.7 P83 2001 PCL Ref., PCL Stacks, PAL Ref., LSL Ref., FAL Dict.

    • Sayre, Henry M. Writing About Art. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1995.
      N 7476 S29 1995 ARCH Ref., ARCH Res., FAL Open Res.

    • Snyder, James C. Architectural Research. NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1984.
      NA 2000 A69 1984 ARCH

    • Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 6h ed. Chicago, Univ. of Chicago Press, 1996.
      LB 2369 T8 1996 ARCH Ref., PCL Ref., PCL Res., PCL, FAL Dict., FAL, FAL Ref., Benson Ref., PAL, Geo Ref., Engin Ref., Engin

    • Ways to Study and Research Urban, Architectural and Technical Design, edited by T.M. de Jong and D.J.M. van der Voordt. Delft: D.U.P. Science, 2002.
      NA 2750 W39 2002 ARCH

    • Wehrli, Robert. Environmental Design Research: How To Do It and How To Apply It. NY: Wiley, 1986.
      TA 170 W44 1986 ARCH Ref., ENGIN

    • Weyl, J. Spec Writer's Handbook: a Textbook & Reference Book for Writing Architectural Specifications. Glendale, CA: Pacific Odyssey, 1989.
      TH 425 W49 1989 ARCH

    • Willis, Christopher J, Specification Writing for Architects and Surveyors. 10th ed. Oxford: BSP Professional, 1991.
      TH 425 W58 1991 ARCH