2. TOPICS FOR THIS CLASS
Academic Research vs. Personal Research
Different resources are needed for different topics
 Creating a research topic
Locate
 Information Basics (Sources, Types, Cycles)
Plan
 Searching on the Web
 Searching Library Resources
Evaluate
 Analyzing Information
 Information Ethics
Final project
Expected outcome: You will have gathered
sufficient background information to provide a
basic understanding of your topic and to begin
research in earnest.

3. WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research is not:
 gathering data, reorganizing and reporting on it.
Instead, Research creates new knowledge.
Makes a claim
Assesses the quality of available evidence
Support your position.
Information is our research tool.
 By using other (credible) sources, we can build on previous knowledge.

4. THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Focus a topic (your claim, opinion, etc.)
Plan a strategy
Locate information
Evaluate information
Organize/synthesize your evidence
Use information to support your claim

5. THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Focus topic
Synthesize
Plan
Locate
Evaluate
Use
information

6. FOCUSING YOUR TOPIC
Focus
topic
How do you formulate a good thesis?
Gather background information
Identify or focus on one problem or issue relating to
your topic.
Express the problem or issue as a research
question(s).
Make sure that your focus is not to broad or narrow.
Formulate your thesis.
A good research thesis clearly expresses your perspective or stance on a topic or
issue
.

7. HOW TO FOCUS A TOPIC?
Gather background material from:
Specialized references sources, like:
Books
Websites, journal articles
Ask questions (5 W’s).
 Who? (limit by gender, age, etc.)
 What? (limit by subtopic, issue, problem…)
 Where? (limit by geography, location)
 When? (limit by time)
 Why? (limit by cause)

8. EXAMPLE OF FOCUSING YOUR TOPIC
General topic:
bilingual education
Question:
Is bilingual education working in
America’s schools?
Working thesis:
Bilingual education is the least effective
method for teaching English language
learners.

9. EXAMPLE
General topic:
female soldiers and active duty
Question:
Should soldiers be punished for
becoming pregnant in a war zone?
Working thesis:
Female soldiers who become pregnant in
a war zone threaten the security of their
comrades and should be punished.

10. PLANNING YOUR STRATEGY
Before you start, ask yourself . . .
What keywords will I use to search?
Bilingual education is the least effective
method for teaching English language
learners.
Write them down! Bilingual education, English
language, English learners, schools,
America

11. PLANNING YOUR STRATEGY
Ask yourself . . .
where can I gather background information?
The Web
Encyclopedias
Reference books
Organizations
Textbooks
Experts
Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation
Online

12. LOCATING INFORMATION
Get ready to use the tools!
Web search tools
Search engines
Portals
Library search tools
Online catalogs (to find books)
Online databases (to find articles)

13. EVALUATING INFORMATION
The most important skill you can develop in the
research process is to effectively evaluate what
you find.
On the Web
In a book
In an article
Always evaluate your information, no matter
where you get it!
We will discuss evaluating information later.