Step 2) What are suitable resources?

Now that we have a specific question, where are we going to get information for an answer? Resources are meant here in the broadest sense. This is not just about the choice between Google or Google Scholar. A resource could also be an expert, a database or a manual. Finding suitable resources consists of two steps:

  1. What are possible resources?
    The first step is to brainstorm where you might get relevant information. This ensures that you think about all the possibilities. An overview for inspiration can be found in the hbo-ict libguide of the Saxion Bibliotheek, but there are also other sources of information such as forums and experts.
     
  2. Which are the most suitable for your question?
    The next step is to determine per resource on your brainstorm list how suitable it is given your specific question. With that shortlist you will get to work. Incidentally, it may well be that the entries on your shortlist do not turn out to be suitable at a later stage. Then simply come back to this step.

What kind of information you seek determines where you are looking for! Forums and experts are sources of experience. Scientific articles have often been thoroughly investigated and approved for publication by other scientists. These are often good sources for theories, models and relations, but also for validated questionnaires, for example. If you want to know how to do something, tutorials and manuals are interesting sources.

Tip: Try a resource that you do not know yet. If you always use the same resources, you will never find out what the other resources are good for. The more resources you know, the faster you can find suitable information.