An Overview: The Research Process

The research process is complex and multilayered. This tutorial provides an overview and some practical strategies you can use.

• Research is a Circular Process (Iterative)
  Setting the stage for how research works.
• Deciding What to Research
  A list of questions to help you pick a topic.
  • Fine Tuning your Topic
    Quick tips for focusing your topic.
  • Developing your Research Question
    Strategies for creating a research question.
• The Search Process
  Learn about the Deep Web and how it affects your search results.
  • Picking Search Terms
    Learn how to pick the best search terms to find relevent sources.
  • Searching and Refining Results
    Strategies for narrowing your search.
  • Categorizing Topic Information
    Technique to help organize information about your topic.
• Determining Credibility and Relevance
  Quick overview of what to keep in mind for evaluating sources.
  • Applying Evaluation Criteria
    Using focused questions identiy a source's Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.
  • Comparison of Article Types
    A chart showing the difference between articles types.
• Avoiding Plagiarism
  Five tips for avoiding plagiarism.
  • What is Plagiarism?
    Definition and examples of plagiarism.
  • Citing Sources
    Tips for researching and citing sources.
  • Style Guides
    A list of the most common style guides.
    
  • A Look at Copyright
    A definition and video explaining copyright.
• In Conclusion
  A review of what was covered in the tutorial.