Ugh! I have no idea how I should even start a research project. What do I do?
- First, understand that college assignments and research can be broken down and done in individual pieces as part of a bigger process:
- Activities in the research process:
- exploration - find out what information has been published about your topic
- mostly you will NOT find one article that provides all the information you need
- look for articles that touch on various aspects of your topic - revenue, demographic
- sometimes all you will find is a sentence in one article or a paragraph in another
- jot down this information, along with the title and database
- discovering what you don't know and what you need to learn
- identifying - pieces of information from several articles that relate to your topic
- evaluating the credibility of the information
- analyzing the usefulness of the information to what you are trying to do
- synthesizing (bringing together) the pieces information to complete your assignment or project
Take the process Step-by-Step!
- Step #1: Make a list of search terms to use in database searches
keywords and phrases that describe the information you are looking for - see - Searching and Finding Information in Library Databases
- Step #2: Find background information about your topic to set the stage for in-depth research
- background information - vocabulary/terminology and what they mean, and the basic issues about your topic
- use databases like Credo Reference and MasterFile Complete
- Step #3: Find in-depth information
- details about a company, business, or industry: financial reports, organizational structures, etc.
- use business databases or company and government websites
Take notes to keep track of what you learn. They'll help a lot when you pull together your assignment.
