Doing Research: Getting Started

Read your assignment carefully and make sure you can answer these questions:

• What is the purpose of the project?
• To what extent should I bring my own ideas to the project? Do I need to present an original theory, argue a point of view, or am I primarily synthesizing and organizing information in order to report on it?
• How much evidence (or information) will I need to gather? Is there are required number of sources to use?
• What kinds of evidence (or sources) am I expected to use? 
• What should the finished project look like?
• When is the project due? To make sure I have enough time to research and write, when should I start my first step?

If you aren't able to answer these questions, ask your professor for clarification - but only after you've read the assignment carefully.

Doing research projects takes time. Look at your calendar and set realistic goals. Be sure you don't spend all your time finding sources - plan time into your schedule to read them and to write!

Spend some time mapping out a topic, sorting out what information is available and what others have said about your topic:

• What interests you? What do you want to know more about? 
• What have scholars or other experts said about the topic? What do you already know from class readings? 
• Consult Research Guides to start doing research in your topic
• Use online, reliable resources (like Wikipedia or YouTube) to find overviews of topics. Make sure the information comes from people who are experts on the topic. 
• Ask your professor for ideas about sources and scholars to research 
• Talk with a librarian to identify sources and plan your research
• Brainstorm your topic ideas with friends or classmates
• After you've done some background research, reflect on where you want to go next. What questions jump out at you from the research? What would you like to explore further? Where are you going to search for information? What search terms will you use? Which experts in the field have you identified?