The Research Process

To define a research question, follow these steps:
 

1. What is your idea for a topic?
2. Find background information to help develop and narrow topic. Is it a "researchable" idea?
3. Narrow/define your topic, using concepts like TIME, LOCATION, SUBJECT AREA, PROBLEM/QUESTION, etc.

Before defining your research topic, it is always best to review your assignment in order to make sure your idea fits within the guidelines set by your instuctor.
 

RESEARCH TIP:

It is helpful to do some preliminary research in order determine if the topic is "researchable." Try using Credo Reference or Gale Virtual Reference Library  when searching for background information.

Before starting your research, consider the following questions:

1. How long does the paper need to be?
2. Who is your audience?
3. Do you need to use certain types of resources (such as primary sources, historical materials, scholarly or popular resources, etc.)?
4. Are books useful resources for your topic?
5. Are journal articles useful for your topic? Do you need to use scholarly material?
6. Is web material appropriate for your research?

The answers to questions will help you detemine where to look for resources for your project. The Sage Libraries has a wealth of materials and the search process will be easier if you know your information needs.

Before searching in the Libraries' databases and catalogs, take a few moments to develop a search strategy. This will help make your search more effective. Follow the following steps:
 

1. Brainstorm search terms. Break down your topic into smaller concepts and identify synonyms for these concepts
2. Using your key terms and concepts, create efficient search strings
3. Where will you find the materials you need (as defined in step 2)? Are there any subject-specific library databases you should consider? Remember that a quality research paper uses a variety of resources.
4. Search library databases, catalogs and web sites for sources for your paper

 

RESEARCH TIP:  Create efficient search strings using Boolean Commands

Boolean commands allow you to link keywords together in various combination to research complex topics that are easily understood by a computer.  'AND,' 'OR,' and 'NOT' are the most commonly used commands. Refer to our Database and Catalog Searching tutorial or to our Boolean Commands tutorial for more information on creating efficient search strings.
   

Search the Libraries' databases and catalogs to find quality resources. Remember, a quality research project uses a variety of sources.
 

AVAILABLE RESEARCH TOOLS:

Sage Libraries Catalog
Use the Sage Libraries Catalog when searching for books, ebooks, DVDS, and other materials owned by the Sage Colleges. Search results may be limited by format, availabity, publication date and collection.
Worldcat
WorldCat is a catalog of books and other materials in libraries worldwide. It is best to use when you are unable to find materials in the Sage Libraries Catalog.
EBSCOhost ebooks
This eBook collection contains over 10,000 titles covering a wide range of disciplines. Titles from this collection may also be found by searching the Sage Libraries Catalog.
Ebook Central
Ebook Central is a collection of over 70,000 eBooks covering a broad range of subjects. Titles from this collection may also be found by searching the Sage Libraries Catalog.
Databases
The Sage Libraries databases include scholarly or popular articles and other materials on a wide range of topics. Some databases include full-text articles while other databases only provide article citations.
Journals
The Journals portal has information about all the journals and newspapers in the library's print and online collection. It is best to use when you are looking for a specific article or journal.
 

Visit our list of Subject Guides  for subject-specific research assistance.

 

RESEARCH TIP: Unsure where to look? Ask a Librarian ​!

Take notes from your resources, being careful to note citation information and paraphrase appropriately. Next, create and follow an outline. Once your paper is written, make sure to cite your sources appropriately!

Click on the icon to download this guide

There are numerous apps and tools that are designed to assist students with research. The following is a short list of helpful tools.

Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily.

Evernote is an app that makes it easy to remember things big and small from your everyday life using your computer, phone, tablet and the web.

OmmWriter is an app for Mac, PC and iPad that allows you to create a distraction-free writing envionment no matter where you go.

Pomodora Technique Timer is a time management method which uses a timer to break down work into periods of 25 minutes. The method is based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility.

Trello is an easy way to organize anything from your day-to-day work, to a favorite side project, to your life plans. It is also a great tool for organizing collaborative projects.
 

Citation Management Tools

Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network that can help organize your research, collaborate with others online and discover the latest research.

Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help collect, organize, cite and share research sources.

Online Citation Guides

Purdue Online Writing Lab
W.W. Norton's "Write Site"

Print copies of the major style manuals can be found at the Information Desk in either Library. We also have electronic copies for select style manuals.

AMA Manual of Style
Chicago Manual of Style