Greetings, Student Researchers!

This guide has been developed to give you an overview of the research process and provide guidance as you work on your research assignment. If you need ideas on what to explore for your next research paper, jump to the Topic Ideas section. If you already have a research topic and aren't sure where to find the information you need, hop on over to the Accessing Library Sources or Databases vs. Google sections. Tips are given in bite-sized chunks, so feel free to grab what you need and go. 

If you have questions or need additional research assistance at any point, click the "Chat with us" button on the left.

Start with the parameters of your assignment, paying attention to:

Source types - Are you required to use scholarly or peer-reviewed sources? What types of source are you prohibited from using? Knowing these parameters will help you narrow your search results to the source types you need for the assignment.

Number of sources - How many sources are you required to cite in your paper? You won't likely find all selected sources useful, so consider selecting double that number.

Number of pages - How long does your paper need to be? If you aren't required to cite a certain number of sources, aim for around one source per page. If your paper needs to be 5-7 pages, plan on citing 5-7 sources.

Required citation format - For your course,  what format should your papers follow? Sources you select from most FC Library databases will provide the source citations, but they are not consistently accurate. Copy the citation in the required format, then make necessary corrections using the MLA Works Cited or APA References Guide (see Citing Sources).

A couple tips before you get started:

One: Keep a working bibliography of the sources you may use for the paper. When you are ready to write your paper, your working bibliography will make the process of citing your sources and putting together your Works Cited or References page much easier. There are a couple ways you can organize your working bibliography:

• Keep track of source citations along with quotations and summaries on note cards. FC Library has a subscription to NoodleTools, a research management tool that allows you to generate or import citations, add annotations, create and organize note cards, format in-text citations. When you are ready, you can download your Works Cited page, References page, or annotated bibliography as Word doc.
• Keep track of source citations along with their annotations (e.g., summaries, usefulness, key quotes) in a Word or Google document. You can group citations into categories to reveal 1) gaps in your research (i.e., information still needed) and 2) when you have gathered enough information to sufficiently support your claims. 

Two: When you discover a potentially useful source for your paper, make sure you have a way to get back to the source, e.g., add the citation to NoodleTools or save the link back to the article. If you locate an article using OneSearch, export the citation to NoodleTools or copy the permalink in the tools column instead of the URL in the browser, which will stop working after it times out. 

Plan to conduct research in an iterative rather than a linear fashion. In other words, expect to move from asking questions, to gathering information, to asking more complex questions, to seeking out new information, to reviewing the literature, back to questioning again. Though it may be tempting, do not start by writing your paper (adding to the conversation) and then gathering sources to support your claims. Hold back from drawing conclusions until you have considered multiple perspectives, including those that challenge your own.