Research Process
The following steps outline a simple and effective strategy for finding information for a research paper and documenting the sources you find. Depending on your topic and your familiarity with the library, you may need to rearrange or recycle these steps. Adapt this outline to your needs.
Step 1: Identify and Develop Your Topic
State your topic as a question. For example, if you are interested in finding out about use of computers by college students, you might pose the question, "What effect does use of a personal computer have on the GPA of college students?" Identify the main concepts or keywords in your question.
If you are having trouble deciding on a topic the following suggestions may help you find a topic:
- Discuss your topic ideas with me.
- Discuss your topic ideas with a reference librarian.
- Look over the index and article titles in a specialized encyclopedia that covers the subject area or discipline of your topic.
- Review articles in peer reviewed journals paying special attention to the conclusion sections and references.
Next, test the main concepts or keywords in your topic by looking them up in the appropriate background sources or by using them as search terms in the library catalog and in periodical indexes.
If you are finding too much information and too many sources, narrow your topic by using the and operator: computers and Internet and college students, for example.
Finding too little information may indicate that you need to broaden your topic. For example, look for information on students, rather than college students. Link synonymous search terms with or: computers or multimedia or laptops or PCs. Using truncation with search terms also broadens the search and increases the number of items you find.
Once you have identified and tested your topic, you're ready to take the next step, finding background information on your research topic.
Step 2: Find Background Information
Once you have identified the main topic and keywords for your research, find one or more sources of background information to read. These sources will help you understand the broader context of your research and tell you in general terms what is known about your topic. The most common background sources are encyclopedias and dictionaries from the reference collection. Textbooks also provide background information.
- Journals, Encyclopedias and Dictionaries - You can find encyclopedias and dictionaries for specific topics by using the library catalog, by consulting a Reference Bibliography (an annotated bibliography of selected reference sources on a specific subject), by checking the catalog and reference section of the library website, or by asking a reference librarian to suggest appropriate titles.
- Exploit Bibliographies - Read the background information and note any useful sources (books, journals, magazines, etc.) listed in the bibliography at the end of article, book or dictionary entry. The sources cited in the bibliography are good starting points for further research.
Look up these sources in the library catalog and periodical indexes. Check the subject headings listed in the subject field of the online record for these books and articles. Then do subject searches using those subject headings to locate additional titles.
Remember that many of the books and articles you find in the library catalog and periodical indexes will themselves have bibliographies. Check these bibliographies for additional relevant resources for your research.
By using this technique of routinely following up on sources cited in bibliographies, you can generate a surprisingly large number of books and articles on your topic in a relatively short time.
Step 3: Use Catalogs To Find Books
Use keyword searching for a narrow or complex search topic. Use subject searching for a broad subject. Print or write down the citation (author, title, etc.) and the location information (call number and library). Note the circulation status. When you pull the book from the shelf, scan the bibliography for additional sources. Watch for book-length bibliographies and annual reviews on your subject; they list citations to hundreds of books and articles in one subject area. Check the standard subject subheading "--BIBLIOGRAPHIES," or titles beginning with Annual Review of....
Step 4: Use Indexes To Find Periodical Articles
Use periodical indexes and abstracts to find citations to articles. The indexes and abstracts may be in print or computer-based formats or both. Choose the indexes and format best suited to your particular topic; ask at the reference desk if you need help figuring out which index and format will be best. You can find periodical articles by the article author or title by using the periodical indexes in the library catalog (can be accessed either online or in the library). When you have recorded or printed out the citation from the index, locate the library that owns the periodical you want by looking up the title of the periodical in the library catalog. The full text of some periodical articles are available online from indexes like Education FT, Readers Guide FT and ABI/Inform.
Step 5: Find Internet Resources
Use search engines and subject directories to locate materials on the Web. Click here for information on how to find Internet resources.
Step 6: Evaluate What You Find
Evaluating the sources you find is a crucial step in the process of library research. The questions you ask about books, periodical articles, or multimedia sources are similar whether you're looking at a citation to the item or have the item in hand. You may find the following sites developed by Cornell University of assistance in evaluating your sources:
- The "How to Critically Analyze Information Sources" site lists some of the critical questions you should ask when you consider the appropriateness of a particular book, article, media resource, or Web site for your research.
- The "Distinguishing Scholarly from Non-Scholarly Periodicals" site provides a checklist of criteria that shows you how to evaluate periodicals by looking at their format, intended audience, and appearance.
- The "Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Sites" site offers a table of suggestions.
You may also find the Analyzing Your Topic & Search With Peripheral Vision - site devloped by the UC Burkeley library helpful. This site provides an overview of their five step search strategy.
Step 7: Cite What You Find Using The APA or MLA Standard Format
Format the citations in your bibliography using examples from the American Psychological Association (APA) or Modern Language Association (MLA) standards. When citing an electronic or Internet resource in your bibliography refer to the Information Literacy section of the Gabriel Library site.
General Research Tips
- Work from the general to the specific - find background information first, then use more specific and recent sources.
- Record what you find and where you found it - write out a complete citation for each source you find; you may need it again later.
- Translate your topic into the subject language of the Indexes and Catalogs you use - check your topic words against a thesaurus or subject-heading list.
- Ask a librarian - if you need help clarifying your topic or if you need ideas about where to look next.
