Lesson Introduction

Lesson Overview

Webster's Dictionary defines "research" as:

1. Careful or diligent search

2. Studious inquiry or examination

3. The collecting of information about a particular subject

Up until this point, you have experienced the research process in a mild form, where sources were provided for you, which helped for a quick search and evaluation of them.  This lesson will go through all of the parts of the research process for when you have to do it all on your own.

While going through this lesson and doing your own research, keep in mind this tip: The biggest tip I can give is to know that research takes time, a lot of time.  If it is taking a while, you are probably doing it right.  Therefore, start earlier than you think you need to.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Get oriented with the research process and its different steps

2. Understand the difference between primary and secondary sources

3. Learn about commonly-used sources for academic writing

4. Know where to go for help on campus for all stages of the research process

Lesson Sections

This lesson about about conducting research is divided-up into three sections, which are listed below.  You may access these sections in the menu on the left (or the top-left by clicking the three lines if viewing on a mobile devices).

1. The Research Process

Steps 1-5 of The Eight Steps to Research:

2. Narrowing a Topic & Writing Research Questions

Step 6 of The Eight Steps to Research:

3. Primary & Secondary Sources

4. Finding & Evaluating Sources

Commonly Used Sources:

5. Databases as a Source

6. Website as a Source

7. Giving an Interview as a Source

Additional Help:

8. Helpful Campus Resources

Please, work-through each of these informational sections to learn the concepts of this lesson before checking your understanding of the material through the "comprehension quiz" provided in our class's Canvas shell.

While progressing through the sections above, if you find yourself confused or need additional clarity, please feel free to reach-out through any communication option available to our class (listed in the Home and Syllabus tabs in our class's Canvas shell) that best suits your needs and comfort.