Read through your topic and highlight any important terms or phrases that you'll need to research. Next, consider any alternative or related terms to the ones that you have already identified. If a term is vague, such as "change," "benefit," or "issue," think about what some specific changes, benefits, or issues might be and use those words instead. You could also try this process with a specific research question that you are trying to answer. You might end up with something like the below:

Scholarly sources will provide research and analysis for you to consider in addressing your topic. For example, if you are researching the feasibility of a bike sharing system for Nanaimo, you could look for scholarly sources that evaluate similar programs in other cities. See these search results for an example.

I recommend searching the following subscriptions:

• LibrarySearch
• Business Source Complete
• ABI / Inform

The video below demonstrates a few advanced searching techniques that will help you format your search terms. If you completed the ENGL 115 or 125 Library Module in VIULearn, this video may be familiar to you:

News sources can help you find local context and commentary, as well as information about specific events, like a car accident or a cruise ship docking. You can try searching local news organizations, like the Nanaimo Bulletin, or you can use LibrarySearch (remember to click "Newspaper Article" under "Content Type" on the left: