Steps in the Research Process
- Identify your topic
Develop a research question that is neither too broad nor too narrow - Find background information
Use encyclopedias, handbooks, and guides plus your class reading materials, to get started - Use the library catalog to find books and media
Find books, DVDs, videos, etc., in Maxwell Library using our online catalog, and use the Commonwealth Catalog and Interlibrary Loan to obtain books from other libraries - Use periodical databases to find articles (including peer-reviewed articles)
Find journal, magazine and newspaper articles using the library's many periodical databases - Find Web resources
Use Google, DuckDuckGo, and other search engines to locate web resources - Evaluate what you find
(See "Evaluate It!" on the Education MaxGuide) - Cite your sources
Avoid plagiarism - properly cite your sources (see the "Cite It!" box on the Education MaxGuide)
Find Background Information
Find background information on a topic by using reference sources, such as encyclopedias and dictionaries. These sources may provide an overview or introductory material that will help you home in on your topic, may lead you to additional sources of information, or can help you find a new area or topic to explore.
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Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Nearly 3.5 million full text articles in 835 reference books from 108 publishers. Includes encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, and subject-specific works.
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Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window Electronic version of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, plus research tools such as World Atlas and World Data Analyst.
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Opposing Viewpoints In Context This link opens in a new window Covers today's hottest social issues, offering differing views to help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions. Includes pro/con viewpoints, reference articles, interactive maps, infographics, and more.
A Credo Reference source of particular interest:
Citation & Plagiarism Resources
Citing Sources (BSU MaxGuide)
Understanding Plagiarism (BSU MaxGuide)
See also the "Cite It!" box on the Education Research Tips page.
The Literature Review
The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting It (University of Toronto)
The Literature Review (BSU MaxGuide)
Evaluating Websites
Evaluating Websites (BSU MaxGuide)
See also the "Evaluate It!" box on the Education Research Tips page.