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Tutorial
Research Preparation
When you are faced with the prospect
of compiling information from many different sources and synthesizing it
for presentation, often in the form of a term paper or oral report, you
must undertake a research process and plan a search strategy, an organized
way to carry it through. Your search strategy will vary depending
upon the needs of your particular project, but there are general stages
you will probably need to go through to obtain the information.
Identify Your Topic
- Find Background Information - read general
information about your topic. Examples of sources are
encyclopedias or biographical resources.
- State Your Topic As a Question - formulating a
question may help you narrow down your topic and unify your
discussion when it comes time to synthesize information you collect and
present.
Find Sources of Information on Your Topic
- Use the Online Catalog, ATHENA, or e-books to
Find Books - Choose subject headings and keywords that pertain to your
topic.
- Use periodical indexes or online databases to
locate journal articles.
- Use Reviewed Web Sites (remember, not all
information that you find on the Internet is reliable or accurate).
Evaluate Your Sources Using the Following
Criteria
- Accuracy - Is the information reliable and
free from error?
- Authority - Who is the author and what are
his/her qualifications to write on that subject? Is the
publisher reputable?
- Objectivity - Is the information free from
bias? Is the author or publisher trying to sway the reader's
opinion?
- Currency - Is the information presented up
to date? Is the date of publication easily determined?
- Coverage - What are the topics included?
How in-depth are these topics covered?
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