If you are not sure what your topic is all about, check it out in a dictionary or encyclopedia.
Books are a good starting point.
Use the Word search in the library's catalogue. You can search on words like sociolinguistics . Looking through journals in the hope of finding something relevant is time-consuming. It is better to use the databases or printed indexes to find journal articles on your topic. Z2011.M69 Make sure you use the right words for your search.