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Reading Strategies

Guide to library resources & services for students in the Reading Strategies course

The Research Process

Keep these things in mind about doing college level research:

  • Our library may be slightly different from your high school or public library. Don't let it overwhelm you. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the library early on. Come in and look around, ask questions and see what we have. Don't forget to checkout our web page.

 

  • Research takes time so plan in advance and get started right away. Learn how to manage your time.

 

  • A thoughtful project and a good thesis statement will get you off on the right foot.

 

  • Ask for help early and often. We can point you in the right direction. Don't wait until you get frustrated. The librarians are here to help you -- that's why we're here.

 

  • Research is cyclical. You'll begin with more sources then you may ultimately use. You'll weed through those sources, delete some and add more as your research progresses.

 

  • Learn the difference between scholarly and popular literature. You will find that your professor's will often prefer the peer-reviewed scholarly sources.

 

  • Find a way to keep track of your research --- more on that later in this guide.

 

  • Remember that you must cite your sources so know what style (Turabian, APA, MLA, etc) your professor wants you to use and learn how to use it.

 

  • Do not plagiarize --- plagiarism is a serious academic offense and the punishment is not worth the risk. Learn what it is and how to avoid it.

 

 

 

Selecting a Topic

This is often the hardest part of research: deciding what you want to write or speak about. If your professor doesn't assign a topic here are some tips to get you started:

  • Choose something that interests you. Perhaps you read something in a magazine or newspaper or heard something on TV or the radio. Maybe your professor talked about something in class that peaked your interest.
  • Life experiences can be rich sources for topics so think about things that have changed or personally affected you.
  • Browse through current issues of magazines or newspapers. For example: if you need to write on a health topic browse through a magazine like Health or Prevention to get a feel for what people are writing about and what's new in that area.
  • Consider the class readings or chapters in your textbook --- are there topics there that might become the basis for your project?
  • Browse through CQ Researcher, a weekly magazine covering topics that are currently generating buzz in the news