When to Use Textbooks
As you approach your research question, you will first want to determine which types of sources to consult. Remember consulting textbooks (both in print and electronic formats), journal literature, information from the Internet and experts are all viable options.
Textbooks are most appropriate for:
Generic, broad-based, background-oriented questions
- Example: How are international relief efforts coordinated?
Consult: Introduction to International Disaster Management - Example: What are the symptoms of malaria?
Consult: PDQ Traveler’s Malaria - Example: How many hospitals are in Kentucky?
Consult: Health, United States, 2010
Definition questions
- Example: What does the acronym DALY mean?
Consult:Handbook of Disease Burdens and Quality of Life Measures - Example: What is the medical definition of obesity?
Consult: Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine