The Seven Steps of the Research Process
Contents
The following seven 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.
Identify and Develop your Topic
Step 1: Identify and Develop your Topic
SUMMARY: State your topic as a question. For example, if you are interested in finding out about use of alcoholic beverages by college students, you might pose the question, "What effect does use of alcoholic beverages have on the health of college students?" Identify the main concepts or keywords in your question.
Tutorial: Organising Your Argument
Find Background Information
Step 2: Find Background Information
SUMMARY: Look up your keywords in the indexes to subject encyclopaedias. Read articles in these encyclopaedias. to set the context for your research. Note any relevant items in the bibliographies at the end of the encyclopaedia articles. Additional background information may be found in your lecture notes, textbooks, and reserve readings.
Tutorial: The Literature Review
Use Library Catalogues to Find Books
Step 3: Use Library Catalogues to Find Books
SUMMARY: 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... in your University Library Catalogue.
Use Indexes to Find Periodical Articles
Step 4: Use Indexes to Find Periodical Articles
SUMMARY: 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 University Library Catalogue. 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 University Library Catalogue. The full text of some periodical articles is now available from indexes like Periodical Abstracts/ABI Inform.
Find Internet Resources
Step 5: Find Internet Resources
SUMMARY: Use search engines and subject directories to locate materials on the Web. Check to see if your class has an bibliography or research guide created by librarians.
Links for learning how to find information on the Internet.
Tutorials
Find Audio and Video Resources
Step 5 a: Find Audio and Video Resources
Evaluate What you Find
Step 6: Evaluate What you Find
SUMMARY: See How to Critically Analyse Information Sources and Distinguishing Scholarly from Non-Scholarly Periodicals: A Checklist of Criteria for suggestions on evaluating the authority and quality of the books and articles you located. If you have found too many or too few sources, you may need to narrow or broaden your topic. Check with a reference librarian or your instructor.
When you're ready to write, here is an annotated list of books to help you organise, format, and write your paper.
Tutorial: Writing the Literary Analysis
Cite What you Find Using a Standard Format
Step 7: Cite What you Find Using a Standard Format
SUMMARY: Give credit where credit is due. Cite your sources using one of the styles listed below or another style approved by your instructor. Summaries of the APA and MLA styles are available here.
Networked guides
Centre for Academic and Professional Literacies
A brief online version of The Columbia Guide to Online Style also gives examples for citing networked resources only.
Book guides
1. Gibaldi,
Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 4th ed. New York:
MLA, 1995.
This handbook is based on the MLA Style Manualand is intended as an aid for college students writing research papers. Included here is information on selecting a topic, researching the topic, note taking, the writing of footnotes and bibliographies, as well as sample pages of a research paper. Useful for the beginning researcher.
2. Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association 4th ed. Washington:
APA, 1994.
3. The authoritative style manual for anyone writing in the field of psychology. Useful for the social sciences generally. Its chapters discuss the content and organisation of a manuscript, writing style, the American Psychological Association citation style, and typing, mailing and proof-reading.
4. Walker,
Janice R., and Todd W. Taylor. The Columbia Guide to Online Style. New
York: Columbia UP, 1998.
5. A new guide to citing networked resources that uses examples similar to both the APA and MLA styles.
6. If you are writing an annotated bibliography, see How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography.
Resources
Connect With Us
Business and Management Learning Contents for Learners, Tutors, Institutions and Organisation.
Newsletter Signup
This resource is not yet active.