Research

Research is a cornerstone of academia. Research requires a student collect information on his or her own, draw an original conclusion based on the information, and synthesize the findings into an essay, speech, or presentation. Research is found at all levels of education, but is often done incorrectly by both students and professionals. At its most innocent, this leads to some unintentional plagiarism. At worst, society is detrimentally impacted: a single study with completely fabricated research by a non-licensed doctor in 1998 which claimed vaccines could cause autism started an anti-vaccination movement in America in the 2010s that lead to a resurgence of deaths related to measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, whooping cough, tuberculous, and even the black plague.

What I'm trying to say is

RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. BAD RESEARCH HAS BAD CONSEQUENCES.

So what does good research look like? A topic that has been well researched has several diverse sources: some sources are primary, while others are secondary; some sources are web-based, while others are in print; and every source meets the "Three Cs of Research:"

CONTRIBUTION, CREDIBILITY, CITATION

First, every source must CONTRIBUTE to the final research product. If the evidence from the source isn't used, then there is no reason to read deeply or include in the your research notes, so toss the source aside and move on. That's right: move on. Typically, research professionals only use half of the sources they initially found in their final essay or presentation. It's part of the process. So you can't be lazy: if you need, say, five sources, you can't just click on the first five sites that pop up on Google and call it a day. If a source is bad, you must keep digging.

Next, every source must have CREDIBILITY. Only trusted sources that have been backed by facts are allowed, and even then, facts should be confirmed by another source. Credibility can also come from the publisher of the source: the Pew Research Center has proven to be credible time and time again, while citing any cable news channel (which often have corrections to information presented) is shooting yourself in the foot. Does this mean you can't cite opinions? You absolutely can, as long as you state that they are opinions. Claiming that unemployment in our country is a problem is fine to say, but as soon as you claim 10% of Americans are out of work, that number better be backed by a credible source. By checking credibility now, you ensure that no one can doubt your research later.

Finally, you must CITE your sources. This serves two purposes: citing gives the reader a way to get more information, and citing gives credit where credit is due. To deny a person credit for their research or ideas is called plagiarism, and it's a scummy thing to do. Plagiarism can be outright copying someone's words verbatim, copying their idea, or even using their art and tracing over it. Plagiarism is a big deal; in the real world, it will get you fired and banned from your profession. You could even be sued if you violate copyright. We cite sources in two ways: in-text citations in the midst of the essay, and works cited at the end. Click here for more information about MLA Citation.

LIVE BY THE THREE CS. NOW LET'S GET STARTED.

HOW TO RESEARCH

STEP ONE: Zero in on a topic

First, make sure you have a solid grasp on the topic you are researching. Make sure it meets the goals of your assignment or project. If you are choosing between several topics, try conducting "presearch" by Googling each topic for a general definition or background.

STEP TWO: What should you know?

Next, make a list of everything you may want to know about the subject. These are called inquiry questions and act as a guide for your research: once all your questions are answered, you know you've done enough research. Inquiry questions can be the traditional "who, what, where, when, why, how," but should also go beyond this. Here are some common, open-ended inquiry questions:
➡ Why is X important?
➡ Who is/was X important to? Why?
➡ What are the different perspectives on X?
➡ What is the history/origin of X?
➡ How did X become so important?
➡ What does nobody really know about X?

STEP THREE: Find sources

Next, find sources. There are three great ways to do this.
➡ Use an online search engine and filter for credible websites.
➡ Ask a librarian--they get paid to help you find sources.
➡ When you find one source, find the works that it cites

Make sure to vary your sources. Use a mix of print sources (books, magazines, etc.), web sources (online articles, blogs, etc.), and multimedia sources (sound recordings, television, films, speeches, etc.). If you are getting physical books from a library shelf, another great way to find sources is to look at the other titles on the shelf; books are shelved by topic, so you may find some more sources right there. Make sure to get a mix of primary sources (from a time, place, or event) and secondary sources (about a time, place, or event).

Check the publishing date on your sources. In general, newer information is better information.

When using Google Search, try using these shortcuts with your search terms:

Adding quotation marks will search the exact phrase
Adding a tilda searches for related terms (e.g., a search for “courage” also looks for “bravery,” “standing up,” etc.)
Adding a minus – excludes a term from the search
Adding define: gives you a dictionary definition
Adding author: only looks for online articles by that author

REMEMBER, PRIMARY SOURCES ARE ALWAYS BEST.

STEP FOUR: Get the info you need

Once you have your sources, read each one and make Cornell Research Notes. To make these notes, start with you name, date, and topic at the top of the page, and then follow these steps:

2. Under your thesis, write your MLA SOURCE CITATION. It's best to write these while you are researching when the source is still right in front of you.

3. In your right column, take notes on any important facts you may want to use. If using a print text, make sure to note the page number.

4. After you take your notes, match each fact with an inquiry question it answers to make sure your source will help you. This ensures your notes CONTRIBUTE to your research goals.

5. At the very bottom, summarize what the source is about, if it's a primary or secondary, and how you know it is a CREDIBLE source (unlike Wikipedia, About.com, or other wikis).

STICK TO ONLY ONE SOURCE PER PAGE OF NOTES.
THIS WILL MAKE KEEPING TRACK OF SOURCES EASIER.

STEP FIVE: Synthesize your notes

Finally, after you get through all your sources, complete a Three-Column Research Outline. Start by listing an inquiry question in the far left column. In the center column, scour your note pages for information that answers the question. As you add each piece of information, make sure to put the name of the source for that information in the right column. This will synthesize your notes so you have them in one place already grouped by subtopic, thus making it easier to write your draft. If you find one of your questions is unanswered or unsatisfactorily answered, it's a sign that you need to get more sources and do more research.

CONDUCTING RESEARCH