Research assignments require you to systematically investigate a topic using authoritative and relevant sources such as journal articles, books, and websites. Your instructor may identify limitations such as topics, sources, and citation style you're required to use. Make sure you are aware of these limitations before you begin.
There are five main steps to doing research successfully:
[Image: Rectangular boxes with arrows on the right hand side pointing to next box. Each box shows a step in the research process described in text below]
Pick a topic that you want to know more about and that you'll be able to find enough information on.
Check your notes or textbook for ideas
Brainstorm and expand upon ideas you find interesting
Do some preliminary searching before you decide on a topic to see if there's enough content to support your ideas
Define your research statement/question Once you have picked a topic, you will need to narrow it down to a specific statement or question. This is also known as your thesis.
You may also want to construct an outline so you have a clear idea of what you need to support your arguments.
Search for sources Brainstorm as many keywords as you can that are related to your research question. These will become your search terms. You can search with those keywords directly in your library search or Google, but there are other places you can start.
Include other words or phrases that convey the same or related ideas
Include words that experts use to describe your topic.
It's not unusual to need multiple searches with different keyword combinations.
Review each source to decide if it is useful and reliable information. You can use criteria like the CRAAP test to decide if the information you have will suit your needs.
Record the citation information (e.g. title, author, etc.) and cite your sources.
Once you have identified the sources (books, journal articles, websites, etc.) that you will use, it is important to record the citation information and cite your sources using a citation style like MLA or APA.