Research Resources

The Research Process

The high school research process involves choosing an interesting topic, conducting a literature review to find background information, developing a research question, creating a research plan and gathering data, analyzing the data, and writing a report with proper citations and revisions. Key elements include evaluating sources, organizing information, and creating a schedule to manage the project.

1. Choose a Topic & Develop Your Question

Select an area of interest: Start with a subject that genuinely interests you, as your passion will keep you engaged.

Narrow your focus: From that broad interest, identify a specific, manageable area to research.

Formulate a research question: Develop a clear question that your research will aim to answer.

2. Find & Evaluate Information

Conduct a literature review: Begin by finding books, articles, and online sources related to your topic.

Use various sources: Look for different perspectives and to verify information by using multiple reliable sources.

Evaluate sources: Critically assess the credibility and relevance of the information you find.

Take detailed notes: Record key points and important quotes to help you remember and organize information.

3. Plan & Collect Data

Create a research plan: Outline the steps you'll take to complete the project and stick to a schedule to stay organized.

Gather data: Collect the necessary information for your study, potentially through computer-based or low-tech experiments.

4. Analyze & Disseminate

Analyze your data: Organize the information you've collected.

Draw conclusions: Interpret your findings and formulate an answer to your research question.

Write and revise: Draft your research report, ensuring it includes a clear structure with sections like introduction, methodology, results, and conclusion, and then revise and edit it thoroughly.

Cite your sources: Use the correct citation format to give credit to the sources you used.