Academic Research

Getting Started with Academic Research

There are a couple of important questions to ask yourself when you get started with academic research.

What do I want to know?
Why do I want to know it?
Who and where can I access information from?
What are the resources that I can use to find out what I want to know?

Finding Sources (or the places information might come from)

Using Google Searches.webm

Making the Most Out of a Google Search

Sure, we love the Google. But sometimes it gives us too many options to sift through. This video will help you make the most of your Google searches.

AcademicResearch.webm

Using Hennepin County Library's databases

Not everything is available on Google, sometimes you've got to go to a more specific and academic database to find good information. This video (10:42) teaches you about using the databases available through Hennepin County Library.

Using eLibrary Minnesota

Unlike Hennepin County Library's database, which requires your library card, the electronic library for Minnesota is accessible without any log-in information. This is a great place to do research. Find it here. And watch the video to learn more.

Note: you must be in the state of Minnesota to use the elibrarymn.org.

Using eLibraryMN.org.webm

Research Presentations

Tips for making sense of your research

Researching Strategies 2021

Researching Strategies

This slideshow focuses on using online databases to find research resources. There are also tips for keeping track of your sources and their citations.

Developing a Research Question

Doing research? Need to come up with a Research Question? Work through the 3 steps outlined in this presentation to help make sense of your topic and research and turn into a research question.

Evaluating Your Sources

Does the source meet the C.R.A.P. test?

CURRENCY

RELIABILITY

AUTHORITY

PURPOSE / POINT OF VIEW

Can you answer the questions about the source's currency, reliability, authority, and purpose with answers that you feel strongly about? If the answer is yes, the source is probably worthy of academic research (and posting on social media, if you do that sort of thing). If the answer is no, move on.

Documents You Can Use to Support Your Research Project

Information Search Organizer

This document is a note-taking tool for research sources. Feel free to make a copy.

It's includes a spot for citations.

ExampleAnnotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

This example shows you the format and the structure of an annotated bibliography.

Research Synthesizer

Synthesize Research Organizer

After you've done your research, work through this document to make sense of what you've learned.

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