Identify Resources: Search Skills and Techniques
Get help navigating the complex information landscape to find relevant, high-quality articles, books, and other materials. Schedule a one-on-one consultation with a librarian for advice on identifying subject-specific databases, repositories, and other vetted sources, as well as constructing search strategies which meet the tricky balance of comprehensiveness and specificity to topic.
Consult with a Librarian
In a consultation, students can expect to receive help with:
- Refining a research topic
- Choosing databases and other sources
- Identifying controlled vocabulary and keywords
- Stringing together search terms with proper syntax
- Downloading full-text from search results
- Documenting a search strategy
Not sure who to contact? Chat with us online, or request a consultation to be matched with a specialist.
More Services
Looking for more ways to get help with your research? Check out these services.
Read and Write Critically: Information Literacy
Librarians can help students understand how to sift through and identify credible scholarly works.Research and Write Effectively: Dissertation, Thesis, Term Paper
Get assistance with a doctoral dissertation, master's thesis, senior capstone, or undergraduate term paper.Upcoming Events
List
- Workshop
April 13, 2026
Researching Creatively!
Get a head start on finding sources for your term papers by joining librarians for this low-stakes workshop, where we will delve into how to bring creativity to your research practice.
- 1:00pm - 2:00pm
- Fisher B Level Seminar Room, Fisher Fine Arts Library, Lower Level
Open to Penn Students, Faculty, and Staff