1. The Research Process Six simple steps to writing an effective research paper Carteret Community College Library Elizabeth Baker, 2009

2. What are the Six Steps? Define the problem or task. Find background information. Gather your sources. Collect your information. Organize your information. Evaluate your process.

3. Step 1: Define the Problem or Task Choose the right topic. You don’t want a topic too narrow or too broad. State your topic as a question. Decide what information you may need to answer this question.

4. Step 2: Find Background Information Brainstorm for what you may already know about your topic. Write down keywords you may use in the research process. Find your topic in an encyclopedia and read the article. Make an outline to guide your research.

6. Magazine or newspaper articles.

7. Internet resources.

9. Things to Remember in Research Make sure that you take information from many different sources. Record the bibliographic information of each source. Always record what you found and where you found it. Paraphrase all information into your own words. Be careful that you record facts and not opinions.

10. Things to Remember in Research Work from general to specific when defining your topic. Translate your topic’s keywords into the terminology of the field. You will discover the terminology in finding background information.

11. Step 5: Organize Your Information Begin to write your actual paper. Remember your purpose for collecting your information—to answer your research question. Remember your audience—who will be reading your work. Remember that your paper should present yourideassupported by your research.

12. Step 6: Evaluate Your Process Did you answer your research question? Now that you have finished, what did you learn from this process? What would you do differently next time?

13. Happy Researching!