Learning how to research is an important skill to have even beyond the classroom.
The details for each step of the research process will vary depending on the topic, available research, assignment, or research goal, but each main idea will always remain the same.
By developing a research strategy, you will be better able to:
1) Focus on your topic.
2) Organize your searches.
3) Manage your time efficiently
4) Progress from general to specific resources.
5) Understand when you have researched your topic thoroughly or if further examination is needed.
Remember that the research process takes time and effort. You should not expect to complete all of these steps in only a few hours.
Do not plan to start your research the night your paper is due.
By thoughtfully approaching your assignment, you will pick a topic, research the topic, and compose an organized scholarly paper.
There are two ways to use this guide:
Method 1: Work through the guide in order:
If you work through the guide by selecting the "next" button at the bottom of each page, you will be guided through every step of the research process from the initial step to formatting your final paper.
Method 2: Just the parts you need:
You can also select the topics you are interested in or need more information about by selecting the correct page from the menu on your browser's left side.
If you need more assistance, please look for the box at the bottom of the menu that says "Instruction Librarian" and click on "Email Me".
Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0.
