ABSTRACT
Students in all fields commonly experience confusion at the outset of a research project. Students in women's studies are no different. Many scholars prefer to use index cards for tracking references. The first step in any research project is selecting a topic. Term paper topics are practically unlimited in women's studies, so there is no need to waste time panicking over a choice of topic. Students are traditionally advised to do some reading before settling on a paper topic. The library tools most useful for the initial "getting acquainted" research are encyclopedias, survey texts, anthologies, and handbooks to a discipline. When exploring well-established subject areas, most researchers begin with books. One hallmark of true scholarship is its reliance on earlier research. No search strategy can be planned perfectly in advance. Some people find that drawing conclusions from their reading and putting their ideas down on paper are the toughest steps of all.
