Understanding Your Assignment
Before you begin your research, review your assignment.
Ask Yourself:
- How many sources do you need?
- What types of sources you need?
- Books, articles, or websites?
- Do they need to be scholarly journal articles?
- What citation style are you required to use?
- Keep track of your sources
Developing a Research Topic video
The Research Process (with slides)
1. Develop your Research Topic
- Discuss your Research Topic with your Instructor to get ideas.
- Use Opposing Viewpoints to browse topics and get ideas.
2. Select Keywords from your Research Topic
- Use Keywords for searching for Books/eBooks and the Article Databases.
- Think of other words that could describe your topic
3. Search the Library's Resources
Search for Books & eBooks:
- Books & eBooks provide background research.
- Background research gives you an overview and helps you to understand the main topic points.
- Keep track of your sources and citations as you find them.
Search the Databases to find Articles:
- Add Keywords to focus your search so that your topic is not too broad or too narrow.
- Getting too many results? Try narrowing your search by publication date range, so you get the most current results.
- Keep track of your sources and citations as you find them.
4. Evaluate your sources
- Ask yourself, do the sources fit and support your Research Topic?
- Are they scholarly or popular sources that fit the assignment requirements?
5. Create your Works Cited or Reference page
- A Works Cited or Reference page list your sources and citations.
- It shows where you got the information to support your Research Topic and gives credit to that person or organization.
- It also shows that you did not plagiarize or copy someone else's work.
The Research Process (text only)
1. Develop your Research Topic:
- Discuss your Research Topic with your Instructor to get ideas.
- Use Opposing Viewpoints database to browse topics and get ideas.
2. Select Keywords from your Research Topic:
- Use Keywords for searching for Books/eBooks and the Article Databases.
- How many Sources do you need and do they have to be Scholarly or Popular Sources?
3. Search the Library's Resources -
Search for Books & eBooks:
- Books & eBooks provide background research.
- Background research gives you an overview and helps you to understand the main topic points.
- Keep track of your sources and citations as you find them.
Search the Databases to find Articles:
- Add Keywords to focus your search so that your topic is not too broad or too narrow.
- Getting too many results? Try narrowing your search by publication date range, so you get the most current results.
- Keep track of your sources and citations as you find them.
4. Evaluate your Sources:
- Ask yourself, do the sources fit and support your Research Topic?
- Are they scholarly or popular sources that fit the assignment requirements?
5. Create your Works Cited or Reference page:
- A Works Cited or Reference page list your sources and citations.
- It shows where you got the information to support your Research Topic and gives credit to that person or organization.
- It also shows that you did not plagiarize or copy someone else's work.
Need help? Ask a Librarian, we are always here to help you with your research assignments.
Library Terms
Abstract: a short summary of an article in an academic journal, usually appearing at the beginning of the article.
Catalog: an online listing of all the materials a library owns with a detailed description of each item and information on where they are located.
Citation: basic information about a specific source; a citation for a book includes author, title, publisher, place of publication and year of publication.
Database: a collection of organized information; Academic Search Complete is an example of an electronic database.
Journal: a publication that contains scholarly articles written by professors, researchers, or experts in a specific area; also called scholarly journals, academic journals and peer reviewed journals.
Periodical: a publication that appears on a continual and predictable schedule; examples include newspapers, magazines and journals.
Reference books: books such as encyclopedias, dictionaries and handbooks; these books provide key sources of information.