What do I do if I can't find anything on my topic?
Answer
If at first you don't succeed, try different keywords! Use a thesaurus, try similar subjects, and examine keywords listed in other items for related terms. If your topic is too narrow, you may need to broaden it. If your topic is related to a specific term (for example, a medical condition), look up any variations that are used by professionals or the general public. Make a note of which seem to be used most often in case you need to redo a search elsewhere. Don’t hesitate to ask a professor or a librarian for suggestions.
If you have already investigated all that our databases have to offer, you may also want to check our catalog for books and ebooks. (You don't have to read the whole thing - check out the table of contents to locate chapters that might be relevant.) You can also check out Google Scholar. Look for the links that have something like [PDF] or [HTML] in front of them - These articles are generally free to access.