You can easily manage the research process by taking it step by step.
1. TOPIC
Identify and develop your topic. You may need to broaden or narrow your topic according to your assignment.
2. BACKGROUND & OVERVIEW
What do you already know about your topic? What are the basics of your topic? Knowing these things will help you determine what information you need to find and where you will look for it.
3. INFORMATION NEEDS
What information do you need to know about your topic? Does your assignment require different kinds of sources such as books and scholarly articles? Think about where you will find that information.
Types of Information Sources - See PDF below.
4. FIND INFORMATION
Use the library catalog to find books and other media about your topic. Use different indexes and databases to find scholarly articles about your topic.
Selecting the Right Source - See PDF below
5. EVALUATE INFORMATION
Determine how the information you've found relates to your topic. Does it answer your research question?
6. COMMUNICATE INFORMATION
Write a paper or give a presentation.
7. CITE YOUR SOURCES
Use RefWorks, another citation management tool or the MLA Handbook to help you format your citations.
