|
Getting
Started -
(PDF print friendly version)
The following steps outline a
simple and effective strategy for finding information for a
research paper, writing the paper and documenting the
sources you find. Any college-level research project or
assignment should involve these steps:
I. Fully understand the
assignment
--Is the topic assigned or can you choose it?
--Must you research only scholarly or professional journals
or can any type of source be used?
--How long must your project be?
--When is the project due? START EARLY. Create a timeline -
deadlines set for yourself
--Must you prepare a list of sources to turn in?
II. Select your topic
--If you can choose your own topic, choose one that
interests you. For ideas, look through your required texts
and readings, consult with your instructor, peruse
newspapers and magazines, explore personal experiences and
interests. It always helps if you are genuinely
interested in your topic!
III. Look up your topic
in subject encyclopedias and dictionaries
--The purpose of this research is to educate yourself about
the topic. Gain a firm
foundation of knowledge on your topic by discovering the
topic's history.
--Locate subject specific encyclopedias and dictionaries by
searching the online library catalog or by asking staff next
to the Library Resource Room. Click here to see other
library locations that may have these reference sources.
--The librarians are also glad to help you find useful
sources. Do not hesitate to contact them:
http://library.ncwc.edu/info/staffdir.htm
IV. Determine the kinds
of information you will need to support your thesis
--Will you need to find books? Articles? World Wide Web?
--Consult the rest of this website to discover how to search
for and obtain books, articles, etc.
V. Evaluate what you
have found
Reading , digesting and analyzing the
material is the most important step in communication.
Critically review the information gathered for reliability,
credibility, perspective and purpose. Listed below are a few
of the questions good researchers should ask.
--Who is the author?
--What is the purpose of the article or book?
--What makes the author qualified (or not) to write this?
--For what audience is the source intended?
--What particular bias does the author have or what
assumptions does the author make?
--What are the author's conclusions and are they justified
from the research or experience presented? On what resources
was the author's research based | 
