Taking the first big step into a new topic

[Annette McKinnon]

I was wondering how researchers manage to read massive bibliographies. Do you read all of the papers or go straight to the facts you know are there? And how big is the first step for beginners?

This is the answer provided by David Feltmate

First step for beginners is huge. Here's how I do it: First, read as many classics as you can as closely as you can. Classics are the foundational books of any discipline. They may not be the best, but they are key for talking with others quickly.

Secondly, I do a key reading of major players in the given field. The best way to find them is to look at who has published a bunch of books on the subject or who is cited hundreds (or thousands) of times on an issue. Again, they may not be the best, but they're important.

Third, I go for specific articles and books that seem related to the project and skim them once quickly to see to if there is useful data/ideas. Then I note those sections, extract what I need, and move on.

I've found that if you master foundational theories and know why they work the way they do, then you can clearly articulate your question in relation to other work in the field. Being able to ask the right question and quickly place it in a context others understand is the key.

There are other strategies, but I have to credit Thom Parkhill who taught me at @StThomasU almost 2 decades ago. He showed me that all scholarship is a conversation. My recommendations are basically this:

1. Figure out whom people consider vitally important in setting an agenda that lots of people need to buy into. 2) Figure out who's talking the loudest about the thing you're interested in right now. 3) Figure out what everybody else is saying so that you don't repeat them.

Number 4 is figuring out if you have something of substance to say about the issue. For the record, this is why I tend to have really long bibliographies.