Overview

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

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?

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

See How to find sources

Think of it like a healthy diet. You want a variety of high quality sources going into your research.

Once you have a variety of sources (or as you're collecting them), it's time to evaluate them. There are several models and checklists for guiding researchers through the evaluation process, but all are asking the same questions.

ABC Checklist

Accuracy: Is the information correct and current?

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work?
• If it's an online source, are the links working and up-to-date?

Credibility: Is this source believable and trustworthy?

• Who is the author, publisher, source, or sponsor? 
• What are the author's credentials or organisational affiliations?
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
• Is there contact information such as a publisher or e-mail address?
• What kind of reputation does the author, publisher, or website have? Search the Internet to see what other credible sources have to say about the resource that you are evaluating.

If you can't find an author or organisation listed, especially on a website, you should move on and look for another source. 

Bias: Is the information fair and objective?

• What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, to teach, to sell, to entertain?
• Do the authors or sponsors make their intention or purpose clear?
• Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?

While doing your research you will be making connections and synthesising what you are learning. Some people find it useful to make "idea cards" or notes in which they write out the ideas and perceptions they are developing about their topic.

How to Work with Notes

1. After you take notes, re-read them.
2. Then reorganise them by putting similar information together. Working with your notes involves re-grouping them by topic instead of by source. Re-group your notes by re-shuffling your index cards or by color-coding or using symbols to code notes in a notebook.
3. Review the topics of your newly-grouped notes. If the topics do not answer your research question or support your working thesis directly, you may need to do additional research or re-think your original research.
4. During this process you may find that you have taken notes that do not answer your research question or support your working thesis directly. Don't be afraid to throw them away.

It may have struck you that you just read a lot of "re" words: re-read, reorganise, re-group, re-shuffle, re-think. That's right; working with your notes essentially means going back and reviewing how this "new" information fits with your own thoughts about the topic or issue of the research.

Grouping your notes should enable you to outline the major sections and then the paragraphs of your research paper.

Source

• 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?

• Citation is a cornerstone of scholarly communication; allowing dialog irrespective of space and time.
• Gives credit to the authors and materials you’ve used
• Provides your writing with credibility

Citing as you write generally saves a lot of time in the end.