Research training for technical papers

Are you a pupil? Is your term paper due and you don't have a plan?

Here you will find some initial tips to help you make real progress with your work. If you have any further questions on the subject of specialized work, you can of course contact us at any time by e-mail or telephone.

Don't know how to get started? Here's a little guide:

1. Finding a topic

These are the five golden rules for finding a topic:

  • Balance: Don't make the topic too broad or too general!
  • Create something new: Don't deal with stale, run-of-the-mill topics!
  • Subject-specificity: Think about the use of subject-specific methods and the connection with the teaching unit!
  • Level of challenge: The topic should represent a challenge for the person working on it and contain a cognitive goal.
  • Individuality: Consider personal interest in the topic and individually favored forms of work!

Source: Hinweise und Vorgaben zur Facharbeit im Jahrgang Q1 am Helmholtz-Gymnasium Bielefeld Stand 2018

2. Limitation of topics

This allows you to narrow down your topic and define a focus:

  • Select an aspect
  • A time limit
  • Narrowing down the source
  • „taking into account..."
  • Establish relationships
  • Highlight example or individual case
  • Give an overview
  • Select people

Source: Hinweise und Vorgaben zur Facharbeit im Jahrgang Q1 am Helmholtz-Gymnasium Bielefeld Stand 2018

3. Prepare a search

A good search stands and falls with specific search terms!
Use dictionaries, encyclopaedias and manuals to find suitable search terms, literature references and a general overview.

Create a mind map or keyword list as a basis for your research in catalogs and databases.

 




Here you will find recommended reference works and databases that can help you create a keyword search.

4. Search in library catalogs, databases and search engines

  • In the RUB Primo Catalog you can search for literature on your topic. You will find printed and electronic books and journals that are available on campus. You can also find articles from books and journals as electronic full texts. You can only use the licensed electronic services on the RUB campus network (a login ID is required!). Tips and tricks for searching the RUB Primo catalog can be found here.

  • In subject databases you can obtain additional literature references, regardless of their location, e.g. “What has been published on my subject/topic?”. In a second step, you have to find out where the literature can be found in the RUB Primo catalog (see above).

  • You can use search engines to search for academic literature on the internet. In Google Scholar, for example, you can search through a selection of evaluated seminar papers, master's theses, dissertations, books, summaries and articles. And BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine) is one of the world's largest search engines for academic web documents, many of which are freely accessible as full texts (open access).

Tip:

No matter where you search, use especially

  • the truncation symbol (*),
    to expand the search (techni* finds technology, technology law, technical...)
  • the phrase search (“..”),
    to limit the search (If you put several search terms in quotation marks (e.g. “The name of the rose”; “social media”; “Ulrich Beck”), you will find exactly this sequence of words).

Do you need more support?

Have you found suitable literature?

As a student, you can also borrow books from the university library and access electronic media on-site. To do this, you need to register at the information/service desk of the university library. Registration is free and valid for one year. A valid email address is required for registration!

Further information about registration and the required documents can be found here.