How to Research a Paper

Have you ever been assigned a paper only to realize that you have no clue how to begin? Well help is here! This easy to follow article will guide you through the proper research steps from start to finish.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Access to a library and/or archive
• Internet access
• Time
• Motivation

1. Start with some casual research. Type into a search engine "sources for (enter your topic)." Skim through the results and look for books and articles that are referenced more than others. Write these down onto a list. Make sure to get a good mix of primary and secondary sources.
2. Librarians are your friends Next you will need to validate your book list. Go to the library, an academic one would be best as it has a larger research collection that the typical local library. Collect your books from the shelves and spend a few hours skimming them. Determine their quality and relevance to your topic by looking though their bibliographies. Are they well researched? Do they include primary sources? If you can answer yes to one or both then you should check out the book. Also, librarians are very helpful in locating sources for you so don't be afraid to ask, they are there to help!
3. Afterwards, you will need to sort your sources. Group together your primary sources; they will be most helpful in supporting your thesis/argument. Then group together your secondary sources by their quality of writing. These sources will help you build up a background and aid you in contextualizing the primary sources.
4. Pick out the important information Finally, read the chapters and sections of the secondary sources that will support your argument. Pull out important quotes from the primary sources that will intrigue the reader and emphasize your point. Write them on index cards with the bibliographic information on the back. (This way when you are writing you can cite the course easily.) You are now ready to write your paper!

Tips & Warnings

• Don't forget to return your books!
• Never plagiarize an author's ideas and/or arguments. Use proper citations for all quotations used and paraphrazing that you have done.