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Research Process

This guide will help you through the process of research, including picking a topic, focusing you topic, finding keywords, searching library resources, evaluating sources, and citing sources.

Developing a Research Strategy

Once you have narrowed your topic and developed a quality research question, the next step in the research process is searching for information to help you answer your research question. 

You will want to consult a variety of resources, so it is a good idea to search in multiple places. This will include using search engines like Google, the Library, or talking to experts or authorities on your topic. 

A good idea is to start with creating a research strategy. Take a few minutes to think about:

  • What do you already know about the topic
  • What do you want to know about the topic
  • What types of information you will need, such as
    • Scholarly books or articles
    • Data or statistics
    • Expert testimony or interviews
  • Where and how you will access this information
    • Google or other search engines
    • Library
    • Your professor

This is also a good time to think about how you will manage all the information you find. OneSearch and many of the Library's databases allow you to email links to books and articles to yourself.