"Everybody is talented, original and has something important to say." ~Brenda Ueland

Information Research Process Overview

Step One: Identify and Develop your Topic
Determine your information needs:
The length of the paper
The types of resources
Primary vs. secondary
Historical vs. current
Scholarly vs. popular
Time limitations (when is it due?)
Do some preliminary browsing on the Internet
Think about concepts and/or words (keywords) related to your topic

Step Two : Find Background Information
Use Reference Materials - online
Encyclopedias (General and Specific)
Dictionaries (General and Specific)
Almanacs
Biographical Sources
Locate web sites
Find and read short articles
Find more keywords related to your topic

Step Three : Refine your topic, if necessary
If you did not find enough information on your topic, you will need to broaden it.
If you found too much information, you may have to narrow your topic.

Step Four : Find Research Materials, Select Sources
Use Online Library to find sources
Use Indexes and Online Databases to find ARTICLES
Use Search Engines and Directories to find WEB PAGES
Use appropriate searching techniques (Boolean commands, truncations, etc.)

Step Five : Evaluate and Select Research Materials
Use the Five Criteria to Evaluate Sources:
Authority, Accuracy, Objectivity, Currency, Coverage

Step Six : Write the paper and cite your sources
Cite your sources to avoid plagiarism
Use APA Style Guide to follow a specific citation style (MLA, APA, Chicago, Turbian)