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Home/ Student Resources/ Library/ Doing Library Research/ Basic Steps in the Research Process

Basic Steps in the Research Process

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Focus

The following steps outline a simple and effective strategy for writing a research paper. Depending on
your familiarity with the topic and the challenges you encounter along the way, you may need to
rearrange these steps.

Step 1: Identify and develop your topic

Selecting a topic can be the most challenging part of a research assignment. Since this is the very first
step in writing a paper, it is vital that it be done correctly. Here are some tips for selecting a topic:

Select a topic within the parameters set by the assignment. Many times your instructor will give you
clear guidelines as to what you can and cannot write about. Failure to work within these guidelines may
result in your proposed paper being deemed unacceptable by your instructor.

Select a topic of personal interest to you and learn more about it. The research for and writing of a paper
will be more enjoyable if you are writing about something that you find interesting.

Select a topic for which you can find a manageable amount of information. Do a preliminary search of
information sources to determine whether existing sources will meet your needs. If you find too much
information, you may need to narrow your topic; if you find too little, you may need to broaden your
topic.

Be original. Your instructor reads hundreds of research papers every year, and many of them are on the
same topics (topics in the news at the time, controversial issues, subjects for which there is ample and
easily accessed information). Stand out from your classmates by selecting an interesting and off-the-
beaten-path topic.

Still can't come up with a topic to write about? See your instructor for advice.

Once you have identified your topic, it may help to state it as a question. For example, if you are
interested in finding out about the epidemic of obesity in the American population, you might pose the
question "What are the causes of obesity in America ?" By posing your subject as a question you can
more easily identify the main concepts or keywords to be used in your research.
Step 2 : Do a preliminary search for information

Before beginning your research in earnest, do a preliminary search to determine whether there is
enough information out there for your needs and to set the context of your research. Look up your
keywords in the appropriate titles in the library's Reference collection (such as encyclopedias and
dictionaries) and in other sources such as our catalog of books, periodical databases, and Internet search
engines. Additional background information may be found in your lecture notes, textbooks, and reserve
readings. You may find it necessary to adjust the focus of your topic in light of the resources available to
you.

Step 3: Locate materials

With the direction of your research now clear to you, you can begin locating material on your topic.
There are a number of places you can look for information:

If you are looking for books, do a subject search in the Alephcatalog. A Keyword search can be performed
if the subject search doesn't yield enough information. Print or write down the citation information
(author, title,etc.) and the location (call number and collection) of the item(s). Note the circulation
status. When you locate the book on the shelf, look at the books located nearby; similar items are always
shelved in the same area. The Aleph catalog also indexes the library's audio-visual holdings.

Use the library's electronic periodical databases to find magazine and newspaper articles. Choose the
databases and formats best suited to your particular topic; ask at the librarian at the Reference Desk if
you need help figuring out which database best meets your needs. Many of the articles in the databases
are available in full-text format.

Use search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc.) and subject directories to locate materials on the Internet.
Check the Internet Resources section of the NHCC Library web site for helpful subject links.

Step 4: Evaluate your sources

See the CARS Checklist for Information Quality for tips on evaluating the authority and quality of the
information you have located. Your instructor expects that you will provide credible, truthful, and
reliable information and you have every right to expect that the sources you use are providing the same.
This step is especially important when using Internet resources, many of which are regarded as less than
reliable.

Step 5: Make notes

Consult the resources you have chosen and note the information that will be useful in your paper. Be
sure to document all the sources you consult, even if you there is a chance you may not use that
particular source. The author, title, publisher, URL, and other information will be needed later when
creating a bibliography.

Step 6: Write your paper

Begin by organizing the information you have collected. The next step is the rough draft, wherein you get
your ideas on paper in an unfinished fashion. This step will help you organize your ideas and determine
the form your final paper will take. After this, you will revise the draft as many times as you think
necessary to create a final product to turn in to your instructor.

Step 7: Cite your sources properly

Give credit where credit is due; cite your sources.

Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves two purposes: it gives proper credit to
the authors of the materials used, and it allows those who are reading your work to duplicate your
research and locate the sources that you have listed as references. The MLA and the APA Styles are two
popular citation formats.

Failure to cite your sources properly is plagiarism. Plagiarism is avoidable!

Step 8: Proofread

The final step in the process is to proofread the paper you have created. Read through the text and
check for any errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Make sure the sources you used are cited
properly. Make sure the message that you want to get across to the reader has been thoroughly stated.
Additional research tips:

Work from the general to the specific -- find background information first, then use more specific
sources.

Don't forget print sources -- many times print materials are more easily accessed and every bit as helpful
as online resources.

The library has books on the topic of writing research papers at call number area LB 2369.

If you have questions about the assignment, ask your instructor.

If you have any questions about finding information in the library, ask the librarian.

Find Books

Contact Information

Lisa Abrazo

Librarian

763-424-0738

labrazo@nhcc.edu

Craig Larson

Librarian

763-424-0733

clarson@nhcc.edu

Main Library Phone

763-424-0732

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763-424-0739
Reference Desk

763-424-0734

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763-424-0935

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