If you have never conducted any research before, beginning a research project can be intimidating.It's a valuable skill to do research.You will learn how to evaluate sources, organize data, and provide citations as you learn to research.You can use these skills throughout your academic career.If you want to learn more about scientific research, you can find it here.
Step 1: Understand your assignment.
It's important to understand what you're expected to do before you start.You should be aware of the instructor's expectations for the research process and the resulting product.If you have a paper with assignment details on it, keep it with you while you work to make sure you stay on track.How many sources are required or expected in your research?Is the final project a paper or a creative project?How long should your product last?Is there any minimums for the types of sources?How long do you need to do your research?What resources are available to conduct your research?
Step 2: Pick a topic.
If you are assigned a topic, you can skip this step.The most difficult part of the project is determining what topic to research.Selecting something that you already have some interest in and at least a cursory knowledge about, but not something you are so passionate about may be difficult to be objective.If you have a list of topics that jump out at you, circle a few of them.If you have time, look them up online and see if you are interested in one of the topics.If others in your class claim your first choices, you may not be able to use them.Pick a topic that is within the parameters of the assignment.If you aren't given parameters, you may have to come up with your own, for example, if you're in a biology class.You should be able to find a list and select a specific animal if you are assigned parameters such as "research an extinct species."
Step 3: Determine the purpose of your project.
Your final research project's outcome will affect the depth and breadth of your research.It's important to know ahead of time if the project is to convey information, make a persuasive argument, or present differing viewpoints about an issue.If you're doing a research project about an animal that's on the verge of extinction, you want to give as much information as you can about it.If you are writing an essay about a controversial topic, you will need to convince your audience to support your position.An essay about the effectiveness of juvenile imprisonment would require you to take a stance on the issue.
Step 4: The focus of your topic should be limited.
Limit your project to an appropriate scope before you start.If your instructor has given you a list of topics, she has already considered the appropriate scope.You will need to find a balance between broad and specific for your final project if you are selecting a topic.The topic of imprisonment in the US is broad as it covers a range of issues and life stages as well as a large geographical area.Limit the scope of your research to "juvenile imprisonment," "post-prison reintegration into society," or "prison conditions at Rikers Island in NY" will lead to a more focused project.
Step 5: Do you have a research question?
It may be helpful to have a central question.You could keep the question on an index card while you research it.It is possible to cut down on wasted time if you revisit your research question while you are working.For example, your research question for the extinction of the cheetah could be either "Why is it important?" or "How can we save it?"
Step 6: A research schedule can be set.
Research projects are not always easy to complete at the last minute.To make a research schedule, begin with your final project due date and work backwards, setting dates for yourself for your rough draft, your prewriting, conducting your research, and selecting and limiting your topic.It's important that you have enough time to work at your school or public library.
Step 7: You can talk to your teacher.
If you can't decide on a topic, limit your topic or develop a research question, talk to your instructor.These individuals are trained to help students do research, and they can help you find a topic that will produce a successful paper or project.The best time to talk to your teacher is after the project is assigned.She may not be as enthusiastic about helping you pick a topic if you are given 2 months to work on a research project.
Step 8: Pick the research key words.
You will need to choose the words that you use to research, but this may seem obvious.A list of words that are related to your topic is needed to do this.As you progress, you may need to revise your search terms.If you are looking for information about the extinction of a species, you may want to use terms such as "endangered," "habitat," and "climate change."
Step 9: Use valid operators.
There are words that function as limiting commands.They allow you to combine and limit your search.The most common terms are AND, OR, and NOT.There are quotation marks around exact phrases.For example, if you want to find sources that use the terms together as a phrase, you should look for "juvenile detention" and "detention" separately.To ensure sources talk about both terms, you may want to search for prisons and juvenile.If you want to exclude the Disney movie "Cheeper Girls" from your search, you should search for cheetahs not girls.
Step 10: You can find the research resources.
Instructors and librarians will put together research resources for a project.A custom database on your library's website may limit your search to pre-approved sources, or a cart of printed books may be set aside in the library for the duration of your research project.It will be easier to research with these types of resources.You should still consult the library's databases if the research aids are not available.The sources in the databases are appropriate for an academic assignment.
Step 11: Don't use common search engines.
It is tempting to open up your favorite search engine and look for something, but it is not your first stop for research.If you use a common search engine, you will have to evaluate the legitimacy of each source you find, and then sort through many, many pages of irrelevant search materials.The Boolean operators do not work well in common search engines.
Step 12: If you need help from a research assistant, ask.
If you feel overwhelmed by your research project, talk to a librarian.It is their job to help students research.Ask for a few specific starting points (don't let them overwhelm you further with a long list of research sources) and let your research "snowball" on its own.Once you get started, it will be easier to find and evaluate sources, find the research you need, and move forward with your research project.
Step 13: Take detailed notes.
You need to collect the information now that you've started researching.Take notes from the source when you read them.If you want to take a direct quote from the source, you can either put quotation marks around it or use your own words.You will need to cite the source and keep track of it.If you want to take notes by hand, you can either put them in a research notebook or put individual facts on index cards.You might want to place the number from the source next to the piece of information you are researching.The source material can be copied and pasted into a document on the computer.If you want to provide a link to a source and a citation, you should place research from that source below the citation.
Step 14: Do not plagiarize other people's work.
Plagiarizing information, or taking someone else's writing without giving them credit for it, will likely result in failing the assignment or facingDisciplinary action.You should always cite any material that doesn't come from your head.Many of your work will be cited from other places.Some information that is considered common knowledge, like dates of birth scientific names, do not need to be cited.When in doubt, cite it out!
Step 15: Differentiate between primary and secondary sources.
Primary sources come from a person.Primary sources include original writing, interviews, and the first time scientific studies are published.Secondary sources can be either primary sources or secondary sources.Your instructor may want you to include both primary and secondary sources.Some projects don't need primary source data.
Step 16: The quality of sources should be evaluated.
Some sources are better than others in the world of education.Search through your library database is the easiest way to find high-quality sources.If you can't do that, ask yourself the following questions: Who published the source?What is the goal of the publication?Is the source objective or academic?Is an organization nonpartisan and fair?Do the person who wrote the source have any credentials?Some sources to avoid include: sites that are trying to sell you something, sites with excessive (and obnoxious) advertisements, and sites from biased or questionable organizations.Government sources, peer-reviewed academic journals, big-name newspaper articles, national nonprofit organizations, university-affiliated sources and scientific organizations are some of the better sources.
Step 17: You can choose sources that you understand.
Academic journals can be hard for someone outside the field to understand.This can lead to frustration and confusion on your part, as well as a misuse of information, if you don't fully understand what is being said.Go to one page of the source for the five finger test.Put a finger up if you don't understand a word.Stop and find a new source if you get to all five fingers before the end of the page.
Step 18: You can use a variety of sources.
If you can, you should use some print sources.The majority of libraries have high-quality books and reference materials.Print sources can be used as well as academic database sources.Don't rely too much on one author or organization for your research.
Step 19: You should keep a reference page.
A reference page is a list of the sources you used for your research.You should have a working reference page as you do your research, and finalize it before you turn it in.The reference page should be formatted in the appropriate style.If your assignment doesn't specify, you should ask your teacher or librarian which style is appropriate for the subject area.
Step 20: You should divide your research items.
It is important to keep track of which research comes from which source, but you may also want to be able to physically move around your research.If you can tag each piece of research with its source, you will be able to cut and paste it into a group of pieces.Write your information on index cards, with one fact or quotation on each card.If you want to move the items around, you need to type information and quotations on separate lines.Print out your research and cut it into strips that you can move around in.
Step 21: Group your research items.
Group items together into what will become sections of your paper or project once you have the flexibility of being able to move the research items physically or within a word processing program.If you are writing about juvenile imprisonment, for example, you can group your information into causes, short-term effects, long term effects and alternatives.
Step 22: An outline should be written.
Writing an outline is one of the best ways to convert your research into a cohesive final project.An outline will allow you to create several main topics, followed by sub-topics, and then Sub-sub topics.An outline can help you organize your research, reveal places that need more or less research and prepare you to begin writing.Predictors of juvenile imprisonment is an example for an outline.A.Race and Ethnicity are factors.There is a direct quotation.There are facts and figures.There is additional data in source 2 B.There is a family situation.There is data on parental imprisonment.The numbered sections in the example above would be your actual research items from your index cards or other research method.
Step 23: Begin to write.
You should be ready to put your research into an essay or project now that you have organized it.Don't be afraid to conduct more research if you feel like you have a weak section, and be sure to include source citations in the proper format as you write.