The Seven Steps of the Research Process
The following seven steps, adapted from a Cornell University Library document by Michael Engle (Division of Reference Services), outline a simple and effective strategy for finding information for a research paper and documenting the sources you find. Depending on your topic and your familiarity with the Library, you may need to rearrange or recycle these steps. Adapt this outline to your needs. Adapted for Syracuse University Library by Suzanne Preate, Reference Department, E.S. Bird Library. Revised by Susan Miller, Instructional Services 1/30/08.
STEP 1: IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP YOUR TOPIC.State your topic as a question.
For example, if you are interested in finding out about the use of alcoholic beverages by college students, you might pose the question,
"What effect does the use of alcoholic beverages have on the health of college students?"Identify the main concepts or keywords in your question. List synonyms for your topic.
alcohol, health, students, (college or university or "higher education")
Concept Mapping in CREDOreference
Go to Library Main page, Finding Articles. In search database list, type in CREDO. This will bring up CREDOreference. Click on concept map next to the Search box. Next put in a search term and it will give you a concept map.
Create a concept map.
http://library.syr.edu/instruction/tutorials/infolit/IdentifyConcepts.html
STEP 2: FIND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- Search general or subject encyclopedias for background information on your topic.
- Look up your keywords in the indexes to general or subject encyclopedias.
- Read articles in these encyclopedias to set the context for your research.
- Note any relevant items in the bibliographies at the end of the encyclopedia articles.
- Additional background information may be found in your lecture notes, textbooks, and reserve readings.
Britannica Online, accessible from the Databases Main Menu, is a good source for background information.
STEP 3: USE CATALOG TO FIND BOOKS
The Library Catalog represents the holdings of Syracuse University Library.
The Catalog offers a number of search options.
- Use subject heading or keyword searching for a broad subject.
- A subject heading search searches for exact Library of Congress Subject Headings and returns a browseable list of matching headings with subheadings.
- A keyword search looks for words located anywhere in a record.
- Use Boolean (AND, OR, NOT) keyword searching for a complex search topic. Boolean searching is a type of keyword searching that allows you to combine search terms using the operators AND, OR, and NOT.
- Print or write down the citation (author, title, etc.) and the location information (call number and floor or library).
- Note the circulation status, e.g. "Checked out - Due on 06-03-02 ", or "Available."
- When you pull the book from the shelf, scan the bibliography for additional sources.
- Scan the shelves in the same call number area for additional books that may be on topic.
STEP 4: USE SUMMIT DATABASES TO FIND PERIODICAL ARTICLESThe Databases Main Menu organizes all of our web-accessible periodical databases by title, subject, and vendor.
- Begin at the Databases Main Menu to select a database to search for articles on your topic. If you do not have a particular database in mind, select the subject best suited to your particular topic and browse the list. Ask at the reference desk if you need help determining the most appropriate database(s) for your needs. In some cases, a print periodical index will be the most appropriate resource for your topic.
- If the database is full-text, you may be able to print, email, or download the entire article.
If you only have a citation to an article you would like to acquire, then record, email, or print the citation from the database. Next, perform a Journal Title search in the Catalog to determine whether we subscribe to the journal in which the article appears.
- If we do not have the journal listed in our catalog, you have two options:
- Full Text E-journal Locator
Use the Locator to identify and link to online full text electronic journals to which Syracuse University Library and SUNY-ESF subscribes.
- ILLiad
To get articles that our Library does not have, consider using ILLiad, our Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery service. You complete an online form requesting the article and we take care of getting the article to you. (You may also use this service to obtain books we do not own!)
STEP 5: FIND INTERNET RESOURCESUse search engines and subject directories to locate materials on the Web.
For search tips, please refer to Search the Web located on the SU Library web site. Refer to Web Resources Arranged by Subject to see if a research guide has been created on your topic by an SU Subject Librarian. If you need further subjected related information, you can contact that subject librarian for assistance. Their email is listed on the Subject Librarian page.
STEP 6: EVALUATE WHAT YOU FIND
It is important to evaluate the quality of the information you find.
How to Critically Analyze Information Sources lists some of the critical questions you should ask when you consider the appropriateness of a particular book, article, media resource, or web site for your research. See Evaluating Web Resources for additional web-specific evaluation criteria.
STEP 7: CITE WHAT YOU FIND USING A STANDARD FORMATFormat citations in your research paper according to your instructor's specifications.
Commonly used styles include the Modern Language Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA).
Citing an electronic or Internet resource in your bibliography? Refer to Citation Style Guides located in the Reference Shelf section of the SU Library web site.
Try RefWorks to organize your research and then use it to print you list of citations. Classes are held in the Library to train you how to use this resource.
RESEARCH TIPS:
WORK FROM THE GENERAL TO THE SPECIFIC.
Find background information first, then use more specific and recent sources.
Write out a complete citation for each source you find; you may need it again later.
Check your topic words against a thesaurus or subject heading list.
Want guidance selecting a database?
Need ideas about where to look next?
Want to be sure you're using a reference source effectively?
