How to Become an Expert on Any Topic! The Research Process How to Become an Expert on Any Topic!

The 6 Steps of the Research Process Before we begin, you need to understand that these steps are a general guideline to the Research Process. Some of the steps are not always linear, meaning the one step might be revisited after several steps have been completed, i.e., generating additional questions after evaluating resources. The process as we will learn it is necessary but should be flexible.

The Six Steps Identify the topic, issue, or problem to be researched Write questions that can be answered through research. Gather evidence; write additional questions to narrow or broaden research. Evaluate sources for reliability and relevance. Draw conclusions about findings. Communicate findings. Click on each step to be taken to a full explanation of what you would do during that step in the Research Process.

Step 1: Identify the topic, issue, or problem to be researched. Brainstorm ideas with a partner. Write down any ideas that come to mind about topics that interest you. Choose an interesting general topic about which you would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be “The Toy Industry in America” or “Films of the 1950s.” Do some preliminary research on your general topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What questions does this early research raise? 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:

Step 2: Write questions that can be answered through research. To write a research question: Think about your general topic. What do you want to know? Consider the purpose of your research. Will you be writing a paper, making a presentation, holding a discussion? Consider your audience. For most school research, your audience will be academic, but always keep your audience in mind when narrowing your topic and developing your question. Would that particular audience be interested in this question? Start asking questions. Ask open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic to help you think of different areas of your topic. Evaluate your possible questions. Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the researcher. Which of these questions can be considered effective research questions? A research question is a clear, focused, concise, and complex question around which you center your research. Research questions help you focus your research by providing a path through the research process. Creating research questions will help you work toward supporting a clear thesis.

Step 3: Gather evidence; write additional questions to narrow or broaden 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 books, periodical databases, and Internet search engines. You may find it necessary to adjust the focus of your topic in light of the resources available to you. If you can’t find enough information, you may need to broaden your search or if you find too much information, you may need to narrow your search. Based on the information you find, write additional questions to guide and focus your research. 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.

Step 4: Evaluate sources for reliability and relevance. 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. Primary and Secondary Sources When choosing credible research sources, you will find primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are original documents; they are often used in historical research. For example, if you are researching the era of the Civil War, you might use the primary resource of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. You might find that speech in a secondary source written about the Civil War or on the Internet. Evaluating Online Resources Anyone can publish writing on the Internet. This openness is both one of the strengths and one of the weaknesses of the Internet. In order to be an effective researcher, you must be aware of the differences in quality that exist among websites. A good place to start evaluating a website’s authority is by looking at its domain suffix. The domain name is the Web address, or Internet identity. The domain suffix, the three letters that follow the dot, is the category in which that website falls. The most commonly used domain suffixes are described below.

Step 5: Draw conclusions about findings. A conclusion is not merely a summary of the main topics covered or a re- statement of your research problem, but a synthesis of key points. For most essays, one well-developed paragraph is sufficient for a conclusion, although in some cases, a two or three paragraph conclusion may be required. The conclusion is intended to help the reader understand why your research should matter to them after they have finished reading the paper.

Step 6: Communicate findings. Consider your audience. Be familiar with the assignment rubric. If writing an essay, use MLA format and include a Works Cited page. If presenting to your class or other audience, follow good public speaking guidelines. How you present your research will usually be up to your instructor and the guidelines of the assignment itself.