When trying to solve engineering problems, you really need to know what information is already out there. This section covers:
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How to take huge amounts of search results and narrow them down
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How to figure out which keywords will get you the best results
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How to decide where to search for different types of information
The first stop for most researchers is a general search engine like Google or Bing, and no matter what you type, you will get results.
- How do you find academic sources without sifting through endless search results?
- The answer: Search within an engineering database and select your keywords carefully
- How do you know what kind of information sources your professors want you to read to inform your assignments?
- The answer: Read your assignment guidelines carefully and use search filters in a database to narrow your focus to relevant sources that match the guidelines