Start by brainstorming keywords and search terms. Use subject headings or descriptors to help generate search terms.
When you find a good article, look at its References or Works Cited list. That will often lead you to other useful sources.
If you see an article you'd like to read but you don't see a PDF for the article, click on the "GET IT" button. This will open a new window that will allow you to see if Brandeis has access to the article through another database or if Brandeis has the article in print. If Brandeis doesn't have the article online or in print, you'll see an option to request the article through Interlibrary Loan.
Be sure to mine the citations of any secondary sources you use--these citations can point you toward excellent sources that you might not come across while doing keyword searching.
For a broad search, start with the Library OneSearch. You can use the limiters to the left of your results to limit to journal articles and/or books.
Depending on the focus of your research, you may also want to explore some subject-specific databases. For example, if you are researching a singer, you may want to try a database focused on music. If you are researching an author, you may want to choose a database focused on literary criticism.