Your First Year in the University Libraries Start early. If you start early, you'll have time to make good decisions, to select the material that will work best for your specific topic, and to obtain library materials that may be checked out when you first look for them. Plan your research. Chances are that the process of research will go better and will take less time if you have a plan of attack. Schedule blocks of time.
Any research project requires time.
A good start is wonderful, but remember to keep working on the project each week. Your research may convince you to rephrase your original thesis or to follow a different plan than the one you originally envisioned. Avoid getting sidetracked with interesting but irrelevant information. Your goal is to finish a specifically focused research project. Review your thesis or outline often to help you stay on track.