Physics Research Guide

Pre-research is the process of exploring and learning about your topic before diving into in-depth research or searching databases. It involves getting background information, understanding the basics, and refining your topic or research question. This step is essential for any research project—whether for a Physics course or any other subject—because it lays the foundation for effective, focused research.

Why is Pre-Research Useful?

• Builds Background Knowledge: Pre-research helps you understand the key facts, context, and main issues related to your topic, answering basic questions like who, what, when, and where.
• Refines Your Topic: By learning more, you can narrow or adjust your topic, making it more manageable and relevant to your assignment
  • For example,
    • Physics is a broad field covering many fundamental laws and applications; you might choose to focus your research on the impact of quantum mechanics on modern electronics.
    • Principles of Physics address a wide range of foundational topics, but you could narrow your project to investigating the role of Newton's laws in everyday transportation systems.
    • Thermal Physics encompasses the study of heat, temperature, and energy transfer, yet you might refine your topic to the efficiency of different insulation materials in reducing heat loss from residential buildings.
• Saves Time: Early exploration ensures your topic is viable and enough sources are available, helping you avoid last-minute changes.
• Guides Your Research: Pre-research helps you develop a focused research question, which is crucial for finding relevant sources later.

How to Do Pre-Research:

• Choose a Topic: Start with a general area of interest.
• Gather Background Information: To learn the basics, use encyclopedias, Wikipedia (for an overview, not as a final source), or introductory books and articles.
• Ask Questions: What are the main issues? Who are the key people or groups? What events or debates are important?
• Refine Your Focus: Narrow your topic and create a research question based on what you learn.

Check for Sources: Make sure enough academic sources are available on your topic.

Online reference books (eBooks) are helpful for finding background information because they contain a lot of information about your topic all in one place. eBooks can be found in our library databases and are available at any time without a library card. Here are just a few of our eBook databases to get you started.

For more eBooks, please visit our A to Z Databases and sort the database Types by eBooks.