During your time at Shippensburg University, you will likely be assigned a research project by one of your professors. While it can seem like a daunting task to start, research is a process and we at the library are here to help you through it. By going through these steps, it can help to streamline the amount of time that you will need to work and prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed. It can also help to ensure that you are locating sources that fit best for what you have been assigned.
Below, we have included the steps of research as well as relevant questions that you can use to keep yourself on track.
The Research Process
Steps
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Questions to Ask
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| 1. Identify a Topic |
- How much scholarship has already been written about this topic?
- Can I offer a new perspective on this issue?
- Who would be the audience for this research?
- Is this topic too broad?
- How could I narrow down this topic?
- Is this topic too niche?
- Will I be able to find enough supporting research?
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| 2. Locate Sources |
- What kind of sources do I need?
- What keywords will help me find the sources I need?
- Can I access these sources through the library?
- How is this source relevant to my research?
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| 3. Evaluate each source |
- What is the authority of this author?
- Would they be considered an expert in their field?
- What is their educational background?
- What other relevant research have they done?
- Has their work been peer-reviewed?
- Did the author provide citations to back up their claims?
- When was this source written?
- Has updated information come out since its release?
- Is there other research that contradicts this source?
- Is there a potential underlying motive for why this source was written?
- Does the source use language that reveals bias?
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| 4. Write your research |
- How will I present my argument?
- Does each section connect back to my thesis?
- Do I need more sources to back up my claims?
- How will I acknowledge counterpoints to my argument?
- Is the language I am writing in appropriate for my audience?
- Is it too causal or too rigid?
- Am I consistent with my formatting?
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| 4. Cite your sources |
- What format do I need to cite my sources?
- Did I cite every source that I used?
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