Step 1: Choose a Topic You are Truly Curious About
The first step in the research process is to choose a topic. Choosing a topic you are curious about and interested in will make the research process easier and more enjoyable.
Step 2: Develop and Plan a Research Strategy
Searching can be difficult, but beginning with a search strategy can make your database searches more successful. Start with brainstorming keywords. If you don't know your topic well enough to brainstorm keywords, do some background research using reference books and databases to better understand your topic and see what descriptive works other people use to discuss your topic.
Step 3: Choosing the Right Database
Once you have a better defined topic and have brainstormed keywords, select a catalog or database to find scholarly books and articles. Using Google or Wikipedia are great resources when you are trying to get general background on a topic but library databases have thousands of sources that won't show up in a Google search. For books, use the OSCAR library catalog. To find scholarly articles, news sources, and commentaries, use a library database, such as some of the recommended databases on this guide.
Step 4: Finding Scholarly Articles
Once you have selected a database, use your keywords to search and find full text scholarly articles. The video below (from the University of West Florida) offers some good advice. If you need help determining if source is scholarly, look at the Evaluating Sources page on this guide for advice.
Step 5: Searching is a Cycle
Researching is a cycle. In other words, you often will need to search multiple times and in many different places. You might modify or adjust your topic, brainstorm new keywords, and try searching in additional databases. Repeating your search strategy can help you find additional and more refined sources.
Step 6: Organizing Sources for the Writing Process
The final step in the search process is to organize your sources for the writing process. By organizing and annotating the sources you have find, you will save time and improve the quality of your research paper. Remember to be consistent in the style you use to cite your sources. Look at the Citing Sources section for guidance on how to cite sources.