In general, related literature and studies may be found in the following locations: Libraries, whether government, educational, or private. Government and private sector positions The Library of Congress. The Department of Education, Culture, and Sports' library website provides information on federal employees with different levels of security clearance. It also has a database of books available for security clearances. Books published by academic institutions are likely to have citations and references to other works that help readers explore topics further. These references may give insight into how researchers have handled issues similar to those facing you as you write your paper. Books that have been written about specific subjects find their way into university and college libraries worldwide. Searching these books online can help you learn more about the issues surrounding your topic. Journal articles Presentations at conferences Peer-reviewed journals. Journals are the official publications of learned societies and professional organizations. They are usually required to be peer reviewed before they are accepted for publication. This means that others outside the publishing house check the quality of the writing and research used to prepare articles for accuracy and relevance. Sometimes others review the data itself before it is published in a journal. Most journals offer free access to their past issues via their websites. In addition, some publishers make certain papers available only through their websites. Checking these sites will help you find out if your subject is being studied or not.