Library Guides: ENGL105: Unpacking Academic Research & Writing: Research Resources & Tips

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Amanda Walch

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Subjects: For Faculty, Library & Research Help

Jump to: Search Term Inspiration | Library Database Suggestions | Google Search Tips

Remember that you need information about:

the career you've decided to research
- what they do and why it's important
what a successful career in that field looks like; you might look into
- external indicators of success like awards, optional certifications
- leaders in that field and what they did to become successful
- characteristics or skills that will make you successful
what steps you need to follow to achieve your goals
- education, licensure, experience

Search Term Inspiration

Information Need	Possible keywords
The career you're researching - history, impact, and what people in that field do	Roles; duties; values; history Also try searching with specific job titles ("licensed professional addiction counselor")
Measures of success	Awards; leaders; leadership
How to enter the field you're researching	Training; education; experience; early-career; licensure; credentials; preparation

Library Database Suggestions

Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
Search this database if you are interested in careers in business or related areas, like starting your own business, management or leadership, or working with/for non-profits.
PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new window
Search this database if you're interested in behavioral health or counseling careers like addiction counselors, family/marriage counselors, behavior analysts, licensed clinical counselors, therapists, and related job titles.
CINAHL Complete This link opens in a new window
Search this database if you're interested in health-related careers like nursing.
ProQuest Criminal Justice Database This link opens in a new window
Search this database if you're interested in criminal justice or law enforcement careers, or related areas like social work or law.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Search this database as a general starting point. It covers lots of fields and areas of research, so it might have useful information if your career doesn't fit into the areas above.

Not researching one of these fields?

Browse the All Databases list for relevant resources or ask your instructor for advice.

Google Search Tips

Think beyond job ads.

In general, job ads won't have enough detail for you to analyze and use in your writing. Job ads can be helpful for coming up with keywords or more areas to research, but we don't recommend citing them in your papers.

Instead, look for:

Professional organizations or associations
- Professional organization websites will have TONS of info about what it's like to work within a field, often including training or professional development resources, blogs, and news from the field.
Boards or agencies that administer licenses or accreditations
- These websites will contain specific requirements that you will need to complete if your career requires licensure (and maintaining/renewing that license)
Government sites that share job outlook information
- The Occupational Outlook Handbook maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is one great resource, but there are others to be found, too!