Education after Mendez v. Westminster: Your Assignment

Understanding Your Assignment

Before you begin looking for information you should make sure you understand your assignment. Some good questions are:

• How many pages?
• How many sources?
• What kinds of sources?
  
  • Books
  • articles
  • websites
    
• What format?

Your professor is your best resource to answer these questions.

Breaking Down The Research Process  

The following outline gives a simple and effective strategy for finding information for a research paper and documenting the sources you find. Depending on your topic and your familiarity with the library, you may need to rearrange or recycle these steps. Adapt this outline to your needs. We are ready to help you at every step in your research.

1. Choose a topic - or have one assigned
2. Do background reading on your topic
   • Refine your topic
   • Consider a main focus
3. Search Sources
   • Find Books
   • Find Articles
   • Fine Internet Sources
4. Write your paper - Informative, Analytical, Argumentative, Critical
5. Cite your sources

Librarians cover this chat Mon-Thurs. 7:30am to 10:00, Friday 7:30am to 3:00pm and Saturday 10:00am to 3:00pm. 

I cover this chat:  Tuesdays 3-4, Thursdays 12-2, Fridays 1-2
(possibly some other times)

You can also email me at dmoore@cerritos.edu to ask a question or to make an appointment.

Need Help 

The Cerritos College Librarians can help you with your research in a variety of ways:

• In person
• By email
• By phone
• Chat

Librarians are available during library hours to answer your questions by phone or chat.
(562) 860-2451 x2425