Research Process

What do you want to know? 

    Ask questions to guide your research:  Who, What, Where, When, Why, How?

Where do I find accurate answers? 

    Reference Books (Encyclopedias), authoritative web resources, journal articles and newspapers found

    in online  databases.

    How can I tell if a web resource is authoritative? Evaluation Criteria

What next? 

    Gather information on index cards.

    Be clear if you are directly quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing.

    Keep track of your sources.

What information do I need from my sources?

Books, Encyclopedias, etc. - Information is usually found in the first few pages.

    Title

    Author

    Place of Publication

    Name of Publishing Company

    Year of Publication

Web Sites - Information is often found in header, footer, or 'About' section. 

    Title

    Author (Person or Company)

    Date Created/Published/Updated

    Date of Access (Today's Date)

    Web Address (URL or Database info)

How do I begin writing? 

    Determine the purpose of your paper.

    Formulate a thesis statement.

    Make an outline to organize your ideas and guide your writing.

    Write a draft and have it reviewed with feedback.

    Revise and proofread your paper.

    Help!   The Owl at Purdue

Can I copy-and-paste the information into my paper? 

    Use your notes to help you write but do not copy-and-paste or rearrange the wording without an in-text citation.             (See Learning to Cite.)     

    Avoid plagiarism; if it's not your idea show where you found it.

    Plagiarism: What it is and how to recognize and avoid it

What is a works cited/bibliography page? 

    This is where you document your sources. See Preparing a works Cited Section.

    Follow the proper MLA format. See Using MLA Style to Cite and Document Sources

    Most databases will create the citation for you.