Getting Started

The University of Oregon Libraries can be overwhelming for first-time users. This guide will help you as you begin your research.

• UO Libraries "At a Glance":  for students and the general public


• Begin Research and Find Facts: How to find different types of information on your topic.
  

For more advanced research, try our Research Guides By Subject or get in touch with a Subject Librarian.

Begin Research and Find Facts

Whether you need to look up some quick information or are starting an intensive research project, our collection of electronic and print resources can help get you great introductory information to a wide variety of topics.

Books and Articles

To find books and articles on your topic, check out our Finding Books Guide and our Finding Articles Guide.

Topic Overview

Encyclopedias and other resources such as CQ Researcher can be a good place to start. They provide excellent topic overviews, statistics, and lists of recommended readings.

Here are a couple examples:

• Encyclopedia Britannica
• Encyclopedia of British Literature
• Environmental Encyclopedia.
  

Definitions

Dictionaries also cover a wide variety of languages & topics.

Here are a couple of examples.

• American Heritage Dictionary
• Dictionary of Archaeology
• Historical Dictionary of Azerbaijan

Many people use the Oxford English Dictionary, the most comprehensive English dictionary. More >>

Biographical information

Biographical information can be found in books, journals, encyclopedias and more. Some initial places to check for biographical information are:

• Biographies Plus Illustrated
• Contemporary Authors

Statistics

Statistical information can help build and support an argument. The Statistics Guide can help you determine where to find statistics on a variety of information. You can also go directly to:

• LexisNexis Statistical
• Data for Local Communities (for Oregon statistics)

Current Events

Newspapers are a great source for current events. Try these resources for newspaper articles:

• Google News
• LexisNexis Academic

Government Materials

We have a Government Documents Center that collects local, state, federal, international and foreign government information. A growing amount of government information is also online. Check out:

• LexisNexis Congressional (fulltext of Congress' output)
• FirstGov.gov (searches .gov sites)

Maps

Our map library has thousands of maps & aerial photographs of locations around the world. More >>

Primary Sources (letters, diaries, etc.)

The library has original source materials like diaries, letters, photographs, music and more. We have many different tools to help you find these materials. More >>

 

Maintained by: Elizabeth Peterson, emp@uoregon.edu