Step 1: RECEIVE ASSIGNMENT
When you get your assignment, make sure you ...
- Understand all of the requirements of your assignment.
- Choose a topic that is interesting to you and relevant to your coursework.
- Give yourself as much time as possible to get the work done.
Step 2 – DEVELOP YOUR TOPIC
Your research may start as a general idea or a question. Once you have your initial topic idea, you need to learn more.
- Do background research using websites or encyclopedias. This introduces you to the topic and helps you to focus on its key elements
- Decide if you need to decide to broaden or narrow your topic. Think about how you might want to explore your topic whether it is to look at a group of people, a time period, a place or a cause or relationship.
- Background research is especially important for an unfamiliar topic since this can help you know if you need to and how you can narrow or focus your topic.
Step 3 – SEARCH STRATEGICALLY
The types of information sources you need will depend on your assignment requirements and the topic you are researching. You should ...
- Decide the information you need to explore your topic or answer your research question.
- Determine where you can find the information you need.
- Ask yourself:
- What types of materials do I need?
- How recent should my materials be?
- What subjects are covered by my topic?
- Are your best resources books, journals or websites?
- Use the library’s resources to find journal articles, eBooks, books, statistics, pictures, videos, and more.
- If you are using websites, make sure they are quality resources!
- Remember that you have a deadline and that getting all of your materials may take some time.
Step 4 – EVALUATE & SELECT SOURCES
- You may be overwhelmed by the amount of information you find.
- To find “good” resources for your paper, you must analyze and carefully select them.
- Journal articles have gone through peer-review before being published.
- Books are also edited before publication.
- Use the DRAMA test for source evaluation.
- Select those sources that ...
- meet the requirements of your assignment.
- you find credible.
- help you answer your research question.
Step 5 – USE SOURCES ETHICALLY
- Make sure your paper is formatted correctly.
- Check to make sure all of your sources have been cited and your research is properly listed at the end of your paper.
- Understand that during the writing process you may need to return to Searching and Selecting materials as you find you have gaps in the information you need to complete your project.
Step 6: COMPLETE ASSIGNMENT
