The best way to start a research project is by reading overviews of your topic. An overview is a text that summarizes the basic facts about your topic (Encyclopedias, textbooks, study guides).
An overview is just a starting point. Don't cite overviews. They don't provide any original information, only a condensed summary of what other people have said about the topic. Instead, read the overview and write down clues that you could search for on our website or the in library databases, to find sources that you can cite. You might find important names of people, places, and things, as well as other keywords or sources to search for.
This page has great examples of reference books for the following:
Literary Periods and Movements ♦ General English ♦ Literature by Region and Nationality ♦ Literary Subjects and Genres
Literary Terms, Themes, Allusions, and Symbols ♦ English Language and Grammar ♦ Poetry ♦ Writers
Can't find what you're looking for? Check out these guides or ask your librarian for more help!
Is it okay to use Wikipedia for a college research project?
Yes, but only as a starting point.
Wikipedia is an excellent starting point. You should use Wikipedia! Read Wikipedia articles, and write down clues that you find. Follow the citations at the bottom of Wikipedia articles. Use these clues to find sources you can cite.
Don't cite Wikipedia.
Don't assume that everything you read in Wikipedia is true. Treat Wikipedia as a collection of valuable rumors. Follow up on each rumor, using trustworthy sources, to see whether the rumor is true.