Overview
It's a good idea to keep detailed research notes throughout the process. This can often save lots of time in the end.
Step 1: Identify your topic
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Some questions to get you started
- With what topics are you already familiar?
- In what topics do you have a genuine interest?
- In what topics do you already have a strong opinion; positive or negative?
Still can't think of a topic?
Consider:
- Brainstorming; write down any ideas that come to mind
- Talking with lecturers
- Talking with classmates
- Consulting sources like general and subject specific encyclopaedias (ahem, Wikipedia), handbooks, and textbooks for ideas
- Browsing recent issues of periodicals for current issues
Wikipedia: The Good and the Not So Good
Wikipedia is a great place to start your research, but not a great place to end it.
Strengths of Wikipedia
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Wikipedia is updated frequently. New information can be, and often is, added to the site within minutes. Due to editorial limitations, scholarly encyclopaedias are usually updated annually.
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Because Wikipedia crowd sourced, there is the potential for a broader authorship than is found in academic publications.
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Citations in Wikipedia offer a wider array of materials, including articles and resources that are available for free and online.
Weaknesses of Wikipedia
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Editors on Wikipedia are not necessarily experts. Authorship on Wikipedia is often anonymous or obscured.
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Articles are always changing, making them difficult to cite in your research. An article you read today, may look quite different tomorrow.
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Articles can be vandalised, providing wildly inaccurate information.
Consider your assignment
Before you begin, make sure you understand your assignment and its requirements.
Consider:
- Length; How many words are required?
- Date Due; When is the paper due?
- Additional requirements; Are there any specific requirements for the assignment?
Step 2: Find background information
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Use your textbook, class notes, reference books, Wikipedia, and/or a broad Google search to find information about the events, places, people and jargon associated with your topic.
- Identify keywords related to your topic.
- Search encyclopaedia and other general sources.
- Collect additional keywords that you can use to search later.
Encyclopaedia Britannica Online / Academic Edition
Wikipedia
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Step 3: Search for your sources
- Library catalogs for books
- Databases for periodical articles
- Additional Internet resources.
Step 4: Evaluate what you’ve found
- CARS Checklist
- Credibility: Is this source believable and trustworthy?
- Accuracy: Is the information correct and current?
- Reasonableness: Is the information fair and objective?
- Support: Is the information verifiable?
Step 5: Make notes
Step 6: Write your paper
- Narrow your original topic into a research question.
- Consider:
- Is the research question researchable in terms of the available timeframe and required resources?
- Is the research question too broad or too narrow?
Step 7: Cite your sources
- Gives credit to the authors and materials you’ve used
- Provides your writing with credibility