Unit 3


Researching Information for an Academic Paper



Seven Essential Steps

Preparing to do research can be difficult and time consuming, but it is the critical first step in writing a research paper. To accomplish this goal, it is useful to follow a step-by-step approach, such as the one that follows, which is based on the work of Carol Kulthau1:


Step 1: Review the Topic

In most cases, your instructor will assign you a topic. Ideally, this topic should be neither too broad nor too narrow, and should be of some interest to you. If, after a review, you feel that you cannot proceed with the assigned topic for any reason, speak to your instructor about modifying it.


Step 2: Identify Subdivisions of the Topic

Study your topic to get an understanding of its complexity. Identify its subdivisions, concepts, and keywords. The following resources are useful for finding concepts and keywords:

1. The online catalog -- The online catalog's display of a bibliographic record lists keywords near the bottom of the screen under "Subject(s)."

2. Library of Congress Subject Headings -- This resource is available in the reference section of the library under the call number REF Z695.L695.

3. ProQuest and EBSCO -- When you retrieve articles from these databases, you can see lists of keywords and related terms under the heading "Subjects" or "Subject Terms."

4. Books covering your topic -- Look in the tables of contents of these books for keywords, concepts, and related terms.

When using these resources, build a list of keywords and phrases relating to your topic -- the more, the better. You will use this list when you begin searching databases for articles and books.

For example, some phrases relating to the topic workplace violence are:

  • workplace aggression
  • disgruntled employees
  • awareness and prevention
  • sexual harassment
  • morale problems

Step 3: Formulate a Research Question

After you have chosen a topic and identified its subdivisions and keywords, it can be useful to convert your topic into a question.

Why?

Here are some reasons:

1. A question is an appropriate tool to launch many kinds of research. Academic research often starts with questions. Researchers design experiments and surveys to answer questions.

2. A question invites an answer. Actually, a question can invite numerous answers. This approach helps you in two important ways. First, it opens up different ways of thinking about your topic. Second, it facilitates the process of focusing your topic into something you can manage. Compare the topic workplace violence with the question What are the early warning signs of workplace violence? The topic is nearly impossible to cover completely, but the question adjusts your research field to a manageable size.

3. A question can be broadened or narrowed as necessary. A question lends itself easily to modification, by deleting words to broaden the topic or by adding keywords to narrow it.

4. A question can lead to other questions. Once you have formulated one question, related questions tend to follow. Consider, for instance, this question:
How can managers be trained to deal with workplace violence?

A follow-up question might be:
Where can managers get information on training courses dealing with workplace violence?

Here are some possible questions that can be formed from the topic of workplace violence:

  • What role has management played in the rise of workplace violence?
  • How effective are awareness and prevention programs in reducing workplace violence?
  • What are the issues involved in dealing with harassment as a form of workplace violence?

You might find that your topic is too broad or too narrow to work with. If your topic needs to be narrowed, you can accomplish this by placing additional keywords in your research question. For instance:

Instead of: What role has management played in the rise of workplace violence?
Ask this: What role has management played in the rise of workplace violence among postal workers?

If your instructor gives you permission to broaden your topic, you can do this by using more general words in your question. For example:

Instead of: What role has management played in the rise of workplace violence?
Ask this: What role has economic class played in the rise of workplace violence?

Note: A good research question does not have a "yes" or "no" answer.


Step 4: Devise a Search Strategy

Before beginning the actual search for information, it is important to have a search strategy. Think about all the possible sources of information and how you will gain access to these sources. While it is true that computers provide fast and easy access to much valuable information, most of the information held by libraries is in the print format. To rely solely on electronic resources is to overlook a significant amount of high quality research.

Your list of sources might look like this:

1. Books: Use the online catalog to search for books covering your topic, its subdivisions, and its keywords. (Use of the online catalog is covered in Unit 2.)

2. Newspapers, magazines, and journals. Use the library's electronic databases (such as ProQuest and EBSCO) to search for articles on your topic (these databases are explained in Unit 2). The librarians can assist you obtaining articles online, in hard copy, on microfilm or microfiche, or through interlibrary loan.

4. Videos, CDs, DVDs.

5. Internet Web sites. For a list of Websites to help in your research, go to the library Webpage, click "Catalog and Databases," go to the bottom of the screen, and click "Useful Web Sites."

6. Television and radio programs (actual broadcasts or transcripts. Transcripts are available in such databases as ProQuest or Lexis-Nexis.).

7. Interviews with knowledgeable people.

You may not need to use all of these information sources, but it is useful to be aware of them.


Step 5: Assemble the Information

Assembling your information will involve at least some of the following:
  • Borrowing books from the library
  • Consulting the books in the library's reference collection
  • Using the library's newspapers, magazines, and journals
  • Searching electronic databases for articles
  • Searching the Internet for relevant Websites
  • Using microfilms and microfiches

Step 6: Review the Information

The information you have collected has this essential purpose: to support the thesis of your research. You might need to discard materials that are not relevant, or to look for additional materials if you don't have enough.

Evaluating your sources is an essential step in this stage of your research project. The following are some things to consider:
  • Who wrote the source? What are the author's qualifications?
  • Who published the source? Is it a printed source from a reputable publisher?
  • If the source is Web-based, is it from a reputable institution such as a well-known university?
  • Is the source sufficiently current?
  • Is the source sufficiently complete?
  • What is the purpose of the source? Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the source scholarly or popular? Which type of source do you need?
  • Does the source present evidence to support its conclusions?
  • Is the source biased?
Cornell University has an excellent Website for evaluating Web-based sources:

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/webeval.html


For methods of research, note-taking, writing, and preparing notes and bibliographies, the following book is very useful:

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2003.
On reserve at the Circulation Desk. Call number: REF LB 2369 .G53


Step 7: Begin Writing

The preparations you have taken have resulted in an organized body of information. You are now in a good position to concentrate on your writing with a minimum of stress.


Recommended Websites

The following Websites are useful guides for writing research papers.

http://gemini.lib.purdue.edu/core/login/login.cfm
http://tilt.lib.utsystem.edu



1Kuhlthau, Carol. Teaching the Library Research Process. 2nd ed. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1997.

The staff of the Manhattan College Library would like to thank Bill Hord of the Houston Community College System for permission to adapt portions of his Information Literacy Tutorial for use in this unit.



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Last modified: August 24, 2007, N. Taylor
For comments or questions, contact: nick.taylor@manhattan.edu