A natural starting point is Google to gather basic information about your topic, whether it's Wikipedia, websites, and news sites. Kennedy Library also has paid access to authoritative subject-encyclopedias and handbooks. Try out the library databases listed here to understand an issue more fully and to explore ideas if you are still deciding on a topic.

CQ Researcher: http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/cqresearcher 

Very Short Introductions: http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/vsi 

Gale Virtual Reference Library: http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/gvrlebooks 

Keywords are the words, phrases, and terms we use to describe the main concepts, ideas, people, events, and issues we are researching. Figuring out what keywords to use is a critical step to find information. When you're developing keywords, you need to think about how to describe what you are looking for, and what words other people (and library databases) might be using to talk about your topic. Developing a range of keywords will help you cast a wider net when you search for information about your topic.

Tip: Use Google to look up definitions of terms.

Now that you've spent some time gathering basic information and generating a good variety of keywords, it's time to select the right databases for your research project. This is the stage in the research process where you start digging into your topic. Remember, research is a process of inquiry. You may change your topic or thesis as you discover more information. That's okay! Allow yourself the time and curiosity to see where the public and scholarly "conversation" takes you.

Kennedy Library has over 180 databases to choose from depending on your topic. Each database will contain a different collection of sources. Pro Tip: Article databases will have lots of filters to help you find what you need. Use them!

- OneSearch (Kennedy Library's most comprehensive search engine for articles, books, and ebooks): onesearch.calpoly.edu

- Academic Search Premier (covers a range of subjects and popular and scholarly sources): http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/academicsearch

- A Subject-Specific Database on your topic: http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/az.php

Many primary sources are available online or reproduced in books. Primary sources include oral histories, historic maps, telephone directories, photos, and more. Check out this page to see links to primary source databases and resources: https://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/archives/online 

Maps can be useful to contextualize stories.

Here are some starting places:

Digital Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: http://sanborn.umi.com/
Detailed maps of streets, businesses, and other information created for fire insurance purposes ~1880-1920, subscription provides access to California cities.

Calisphere Maps: https://calisphere.org/search/?q=Maps

David Rumsey Map Collection: https://www.davidrumsey.com/ 
The historical map collection has over 55,000 maps and images online. The collection focuses on rare 18th and 19th century North American and South American maps and other cartographic materials. Historic maps of the World, Europe, Asia, and Africa are also represented.

For more maps, check out: http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/GIS/HGIS

ProQuest Historical Newspapers: http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/pqhistoricnewspapers
You can search back issues of the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times here.

California Digital Newspaper Collection: https://cdnc.ucr.edu
CDNC is a freely accessible repository of digitized California newspapers from 1846 to the present.

California Newspapers: https://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/californianewspapers
Searchable full text from California newspapers, including the Tribune (San Luis Obispo), the San Francisco Chronicle, the Fresno Bee, the Sacramento Bee, and the San Diego Union-Tribune

Google Newspapers: http://guides.lib.calpoly.edu/googlenewspapers
Partial runs of newspapers from various eras and regions in North America.

Reflect on your research progress so far.

Contact Laura Sorvetti at lsorvett@calpoly.edu or 805-756-2391 to get more help.