The hardest part of doing research is coming up with a search strategy that will give you the most relevant results. Before you start searching, spend a few minutes breaking your topic down into key concepts, and then find keywords and related terms to add to your search. Watch this short video from Western University Libraries on how to develop your topic.
Summon searches across all of the library's collection, including books, ebooks, journals, streaming videos, and more.
When using this search tool, it's best to start with multiple keywords that you developed in your search strategy, and then use the filters to narrow your results to content types, date, or subject specializations. Try to avoid phrasing your search in sentences, but instead use just the keywords to focus your results. Summon will automatically insert AND between search terms.
For example: "higher education" and tuition.
From the list of results, limit to books/ebooks or scholarly/peer-reviewed (for articles) using the filters on the side.
Access the Summon search box on the library's homepage.
If database searching is new for you, take a look at this short video from Yavapai College Libraries. It provides an overview of the kind of content you will find in these specialized research tools, and the features that make them easier to get good results for your topics.
Find out what the C.R.A.A.P. test is and how you can use it to decide whether the information you find online is credible.
Also from Western University Libraries.