A Practical Research Roadmap

Library databases and research tools can help you find information, but a successful search usually begins before you open a database. Taking time to clarify your question, identify the evidence you need, and understand how knowledge is produced can make your research more focused and efficient. For more detailed guidance, visit the NCCU Libraries Research Guide.

Start with a Question, Not Just a Topic

A topic such as social media, climate policy, or language learning is usually too broad to guide a useful search. Try turning it into a question by considering who or what you want to study, where and when the issue occurs, and which relationship, problem, or debate interests you.

For example, instead of searching for social media and politics, you might ask:

How does social media use affect political participation among university students in Taiwan?

Your question does not need to be perfect at the beginning. As you read, you may discover new terminology, competing perspectives, or evidence that leads you to revise it. Changing direction is a normal part of research.

Think About the Evidence You Need

Different questions call for different kinds of sources.

A handbook or encyclopedia can help you understand an unfamiliar topic. Books are useful for theories, historical context, and broad discussions. Journal articles usually address more focused research questions, while government reports and statistics may provide official evidence. News sources can help you trace recent events and public debate.

You may also need primary sources, such as interviews, surveys, archival documents, literary works, legal materials, images, or original datasets.

Rather than asking only, “Is this source academic enough?”, consider:

What role will this source play in my research?

One source may provide background, another may offer data, and another may present a viewpoint that you want to examine or challenge.

Understand How Information Is Created

A journal article, conference paper, news report, government dataset, and social media post are created for different purposes and audiences. They may also go through different levels of review, editing, and verification.

Before relying on a source, consider:

• Who created it, and for whom?

• Was it reviewed or edited before publication?

• What evidence or method supports it?

• Does it present preliminary findings or established research?

• Has it been updated, corrected, or challenged?

A source may still be useful if it is informal, preliminary, or strongly opinionated. What matters is that you understand its purpose and limitations.

Search with Concepts, Not Full Questions

Databases do not always interpret complete research questions effectively. Break your question into its main concepts and identify alternative terms for each one.

For the example above, the main concepts might be:

• social media

• political participation

• university students

• Taiwan

Researchers may use related terms such as college students, undergraduates, civic engagement, or political involvement. Trying different combinations will usually produce better results than relying on a single search.

Your first search is only a starting point. Review the titles, abstracts, keywords, and subject terms in useful results, then adjust your search.

Let Useful Sources Lead You Further

When you find a particularly relevant article or book, check its reference list to identify earlier studies. You can also look for later publications that cite it.

This process can help you identify:

• Major researchers

• Influential studies

• Common theories and methods

• Recurring debates

• Changes in the field over time

Academic research is an ongoing conversation. Researchers build on, question, revise, and sometimes disagree with earlier work.

A few well-chosen sources can often lead you to a stronger body of literature than dozens of unrelated search results.

Evaluate Authority in Context

A well-known author or prestigious journal may be a useful sign of credibility, but authority depends on the question and context.

Ask:

• Does the source directly address my question?

• What expertise or experience does the author bring?

• What evidence supports the claims?

• Is the publication date appropriate for the topic?

• Can important claims be confirmed elsewhere?

• Are relevant perspectives or communities missing?

You do not have to agree with a source in order to use it. You should, however, be able to explain why it is relevant and appropriate for your research.

Recognize That Information Has Value

Information is created through time, expertise, labor, and financial support. Books, articles, data, images, and other materials may be protected by copyright, licensing agreements, privacy rules, or access restrictions.

When using information:

• Cite the ideas, words, data, and images created by others.

• Follow the terms of use for library databases.

• Do not share restricted files or download materials in excessive quantities.

• Consider privacy and consent when working with personal or sensitive data.

• Disclose the use of AI tools when required by your instructor, department, publisher, or research community.

Citing a source does more than prevent plagiarism. It allows readers to follow your evidence and understand how your work connects with existing research.

Make the Sources Work Together

A literature review is not simply a list of summaries. Your task is to explain how the sources relate to one another and how they help answer your research question.

As you read, note:

• Where researchers agree or disagree

• Which theories or methods they use

• What evidence supports their claims

• Which populations, places, or time periods they examine

• What questions remain unanswered

Quote when the original wording matters. Paraphrase when you need to explain a specific idea in your own words. Summarize when you want to present the main point of a longer text. In every case, make the source clear.

When You Get Stuck

Research rarely moves forward in a straight line. You may need to revise your question, use different terminology, change databases, or look for another type of source.

Before deciding that there is nothing available on your topic, try:

• Broadening or narrowing one concept

• Removing an overly specific term

• Checking the terminology used in a relevant article

• Following references and cited-by records

• Searching in another language

• Trying a database from a related discipline

Find Research and Writing Support

The following resources provide additional guidance on research methods and academic writing:

• SAGE Research Methods

• JSTOR Research Basics

• Elsevier Researcher Academy

• Taylor & Francis events and resources for researchers

• NCCU e-books on research methods and academic writing

Writefull is also available for English academic writing support.

Prepare for Publication

Before selecting a journal, learn how to examine:

• Journal scope and intended audience

• Peer-review practices

• Indexing and disciplinary reputation

• Publication fees

• Open access options

• Copyright and licence terms

• Signs of deceptive or predatory publishing

See the NCCU Libraries resources on evaluating journal quality and Open Access Publishing Support.