1. Exploring and Discovering
- Define the information problem: choose a broad topic
- Identify information needed (to solve the information problem)
- What are some questions I need to answer? (narrow the topic)
- What information will I need?
- Determine what you already know about the subject before researching
- Consider what new information will do to advance your argument
2. Planning
- Consider what the purpose of this paper will be.
- Develop a working thesis.
3. Information Seeking Strategies
- Determine all possible sources (brainstorm)
- What are all the possible sources to check?
- Select the best sources
- What are the best sources of information for this task?
4. Finding Information
- Locate sources (intellectually and physically)
- Find information within sources
- Where can I find these sources?
- Where can I find the information in the source?
- Ask your instructor/librarian
5. Using Information for My Purpose
- Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch)
- Does the information have an author, date of publication, publisher information, affiliation, and author’s credentials?
- Determine how effective the source is.
- If a website, where does the information appear? Is it a commercial website? Does the website have any obvious social, political, product bias?
- Can the information be verified or validated in other sources?
- Extract relevant information
- What information do I expect to find in this source? For example, do I expect to find background information, history, statistics, facts, or anecdotes?
- What information from the source is useful?
- If there is an abstract, this will help determine the source’s usefulness for the task at hand
- Find one good source! (Very often, once you find one good source of information, this source’s Work Cited page will lead you to many more, saving you time)
6. 6. Using Information Ethically and Legally
- Avoid Plagiarism by:
- Quoting directly from the source
- Paraphrasing (Put the information from the source into your own words, and cite the source in Work Cited)
- Identify the correct writing style for the discipline; e.g.: M.L.A, A.P.A, etc.
7. Putting It Together/Create and Present Final Product
- Synthesis
- Means presenting YOUR argument, and incorporating the researched information to highlight the accuracy or relevance of the argument.
- Your argument is STILL the most important aspect of the research paper.
- Organize from multiple sources
- How will I organize my information?
- Present the information
- How should I present my information?
8. Self-Assessment
- Judge the product (effectiveness)
- Judge the process (efficiency)
- Did I do what was required?
- Did I complete each of the steps efficiently?
- Did I make a stand?
- Was my thesis statement effectively supported?
- How has research affected my final argument?
- How has my position or opinion changed throughout the research process?