The Research Process is recursive, not a straightforward step-by-step progression. There ARE steps involved, but they usually must be repeated as you learn more about your topic and perhaps revise and/or change the focus of your research. The process may also vary based on the purpose of your research and the field of study in which you are conducting your research.
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Choosing Topic
Choosing an interesting research topic is your first challenge in the research process. Sometimes your professor may help with this by assigning a topic or providing a list of potential topics. Nonetheless, here are some tips to get started:
Choose a topic that you are interested in! The research process is more relevant if you care about your topic.
Narrow your topic to something manageable.
If your topic is too broad, you will find too much information and not be able to focus.
Background reading can help you choose and limit the scope of your topic.
Review the guidelines on topic selection outlined in your assignment. Ask your professor suggestions.
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Background of Research
After choosing a topic, you will need to locate introductory sources that give basic background information about the subject. Finding background information at the beginning of your research is especially important if you are unfamiliar with the subject area, or not sure from what angle to approach your topic. Some of the information that a background search can provide includes: Broad overview of the subject, Definitions of the topic, Introduction to key issues, Names of people who are authorities in the subject field, Major dates and events. Keywords and subject-specific vocabulary terms that can be used for database searches, and Bibliographies that lead to additional resources.
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Steps to Developing a Research Question
Choose an interesting general topic. Even directed academic research should focus on a topic in which the writer is at least somewhat personally invested. Writers should choose a broad topic about which they genuinely would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be “Slavery in the American South” or “Films of the 1930s.”
Do some preliminary research on your general topic. Do a few quick searches in current periodicals and journals on your topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What questions does this early research raise?
Consider your audience. For most college papers, your audience will be academic, but always keep your audience in mind when narrowing your topic and developing your question. Would that particular audience be interested in this question?
Start asking questions. Taking into consideration all of the above, start asking yourself open-ended “how” and “why” questions about your general topic. For example, “How did the slave trade evolve in the 1850s in the American South?” or “Why were slave narratives effective tools in working toward the abolishment of slavery?”
Evaluate your question: Is your research question clear? With so much research available on any given topic, research questions must be as clear as possible in order to be effective in helping the writer direct his or her research. Is your research question focused? Research questions must be specific enough to be well covered in the space available. (See flip side for examples of focused vs. unfocused research questions.) Is your research question complex? Research questions should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts. They should, instead, require both research and analysis on the part of the writer.
Hypothesize. After you’ve come up with a question, think about what the path you think the answer will take. Where do you think your research will take you? What kind of argument are you hoping to make/support? What will it mean if your research disputes your planned argument?