How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: Get Started
Step 1. Develop a topic. Select a Topic | Develop Research Questions | Identify Keywords | Find Background Information | Refine a Topic. Step 2. Locate information. Search Strategies | Books | eBooks | Articles | Videos & Images | Databases | Websites | Grey Literature. Step 3. Evaluate and analyze information.
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: Step 1: Develop a Topic
Developing a good research question can sometimes be the most difficult part of the research process. If you are struggling, follow the links below. Select a topic. Develop research questions. Identify keywords. Find background information. Refine your topic.
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: 1a. Select a Topic
Before selecting a topic or starting your research, make sure you understand your assignment. Consider: Have you been assigned a topic or can you pick your own? How many pages/words do you need to write? How long is your presentation? Do you need to include specific types of sources (e.g. scholarly journal, book, etc.)? When is the assignment due?
1b. Develop Research Questions
Once you have selected a topic, the next step is to develop research questions. Write down what you already know or don't know about the topic. Use that information to develop questions. Use probing questions. (why? what if?) Avoid "yes" and "no" questions.
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: Step 2: Locate …
Locating Information. Before starting your research, it's important to understand the types of information sources available. They include: Encyclopedias & Dictionaries, Books & eBooks, Videos & Images, Articles from newspapers, …
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: 4a. Take Notes
Taking notes: Use abbreviations, acronyms, or incomplete sentences to record information to speed up the notetaking process. Write down only the information that answers your research questions. Use symbols, diagrams, charts or …
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: 2a. Search Strategies
Try using boolean operators and truncation symbols, or use alternative, narrower, or broader keywords to vary your results. To retrieve the most relevant search results, you will need to construct a search string.
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: 4b. Outline the Paper
To create an outline: Place your thesis statement at the beginning. List the major points that support your thesis. Label them in Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.). List supporting ideas or arguments for each major point. Label them in capital letters (A, B, C, etc.).
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: Step 5: Cite
Citing resources is common practice for writers engaged in any type of research. By providing citations, the writer is contributing to the ongoing scholarly discussion of the topic. Properly cited resources: Attribute credit where credit …
How to Do Research: A Step-By-Step Guide: Step 3: Evaluate
Why Evaluate? Knowing how to evaluate information can help you with research assignments as well as bigger life decisions. Knowing how to find relevant and accurate information can help you make informed decisions about graduate school, a new car purchase, financial aid, jobs, your health, and more.
COMMENTS
Step 1. Develop a topic. Select a Topic | Develop Research Questions | Identify Keywords | Find Background Information | Refine a Topic. Step 2. Locate information. Search Strategies | Books | eBooks | Articles | Videos & Images | Databases | Websites | Grey Literature. Step 3. Evaluate and analyze information.
Developing a good research question can sometimes be the most difficult part of the research process. If you are struggling, follow the links below. Select a topic. Develop research questions. Identify keywords. Find background information. Refine your topic.
Before selecting a topic or starting your research, make sure you understand your assignment. Consider: Have you been assigned a topic or can you pick your own? How many pages/words do you need to write? How long is your presentation? Do you need to include specific types of sources (e.g. scholarly journal, book, etc.)? When is the assignment due?
Once you have selected a topic, the next step is to develop research questions. Write down what you already know or don't know about the topic. Use that information to develop questions. Use probing questions. (why? what if?) Avoid "yes" and "no" questions.
Locating Information. Before starting your research, it's important to understand the types of information sources available. They include: Encyclopedias & Dictionaries, Books & eBooks, Videos & Images, Articles from newspapers, …
Taking notes: Use abbreviations, acronyms, or incomplete sentences to record information to speed up the notetaking process. Write down only the information that answers your research questions. Use symbols, diagrams, charts or …
Try using boolean operators and truncation symbols, or use alternative, narrower, or broader keywords to vary your results. To retrieve the most relevant search results, you will need to construct a search string.
To create an outline: Place your thesis statement at the beginning. List the major points that support your thesis. Label them in Roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.). List supporting ideas or arguments for each major point. Label them in capital letters (A, B, C, etc.).
Citing resources is common practice for writers engaged in any type of research. By providing citations, the writer is contributing to the ongoing scholarly discussion of the topic. Properly cited resources: Attribute credit where credit …
Why Evaluate? Knowing how to evaluate information can help you with research assignments as well as bigger life decisions. Knowing how to find relevant and accurate information can help you make informed decisions about graduate school, a new car purchase, financial aid, jobs, your health, and more.