Getting Started: Basic Library Writing and Research Process




Step 1 - Finding a Topic

If you have been assigned a research paper or project there are usually a wide range of topics that you can select for your assignment. However, you need to narrow down to a topic that can be researched in the time allotted. Some ways to narrow down or choose a topic include:

  • Use the Online Reference Shelf to find an online encyclopedia article on your topic or use reference books on level A in the library. Your professor may not allow you to cite an encyclopedia article or other reference text as a scholarly source, but a good article can orient you to your subject, and you can find something that interests you to research.
  • Type your subject into Credo Reference, a collection of many reference sources, to find out more information on your topic.

One of the best ways to narrow your research focus is to identify a question, for example one that is part of an ongoing scholarly debate. These questions will:

  • Can also appear in Wikipedia, by clicking on the discussion tab of a given topic.
  • Can also be identified by looking at differences of opinion between scholars in databases like Academic Search Premier.

For example, two or three scholars may disagree about an interpretation of the symbol of the golden bowl in a novel by Henry James. Your question could then be: What does the symbol of the golden bowl really mean? Your paper could present the differing views on the controversy, and possibly go on to present your own educated guess based on careful research. One advantage to identifying an ongoing scholarly debate as your research question is that it will probably generate interest on the part of the reader. You want to write about something that matters to your readers.

Need more help with this? Ask a Librarian.



Step 2 - Formulating a Thesis

To begin your research paper or project, you need to formulate a claim (also called a thesis, statement of intent, or main idea) about your topic. Having a thesis will help you focus your research and writing efforts.

Your thesis should also be about something that matters, something that will spark interest in the minds of readers because they want to know more about your topic. One way to quickly generate interest is to focus on an ongoing controversy (as outlined above). Another way to generate interest is to state your thesis in the form of a paradox, something that at first glance appears contradictory. For example: "Polygamy for early Utah Mormons worked both for and against their survival as a people." 

Your first thesis will probably be only a draft of your final thesis, and you may find evidence throughout your research that will complicate your thesis. The "problems" you encounter offer you a chance to modify your thesis rather than abandon it.

Need more help with this? Ask a Librarian or contact the Writing Center.



Step 3 - Researching and Writing Your Paper

Research - Locate evidence to support your thesis claim through:

Examine any discrepancies between your thesis and your selected evidence:

  • What doesn't fit?
  • Do you need to modify your thesis?
  • What is the source? Is your source reliable, peer-reviewed, current? Make sure you are using sources fit the assignment (i.e., Does the assignment ask for a certain number of peer-reviewed journal articles?).

Writing Help - Contact the Writing Center (located on level A of Trexler Library) for help writing your paper.



Step 4 - Citing Your Sources

Cite your sources and evidence. Be sure to give credit where credit is due! Keep careful track of where you found your ideas, phrases, and key concepts. No professor expects you to present your own ideas only --be clear about where your ideas, phrases, and special words come from. Find out what style of scholarly citation your professors wants you to use, and see the citations page.

Need more help with this? Ask a Librarian.



 

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