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The Seven Steps of the Research Process - Coggle Diagram
The Seven Steps of the
Research Process
Step 1: Identify and Develop Your Topic
State your idea of the topic in the form of a question.
Identify the main concepts or key words of your question.
Check the main concepts or keywords of your topic by searching for them in the appropriate information sources.
Finding too little information may indicate that you need to broaden your topic.
Link search terms
Step 2: Find Background Information
Find one or more sources of background information to read.
These sources will help you understand the broader context of your research and tell you in general terms what is known about your topic.
The most common sources of information
are books and review articles.
Step 3: Use Catalogs to Find Books and Media
Use the keyword search for a narrow or complex search topic.
Use the subject search for a broad topic. Print or annotate the citation and location information.
Note the status of circulation status.
When you pull the book off the shelf, search the bibliography.
Look for bibliographies of books and annual reviews on
of books and annual reviews on your topic.
Step 4: Use Databases to Find Journal Articles
Use online databases to find article citations.
Choose the database that best suits your particular topic.
that best suits your particular topic.
These databases and others can be found on the library's website.
If the full text is not linked in the database being used, note the database citation and look for the journal title in the library catalog.
The catalog lists print and electronic versions of journals.
Step 5: Find Internet Resources
Use search engines and subject directories to locate materials on the Web.
Information on the Internet varies in reliability, so use directories.
To access the library's online resources, you still need to log in with your Cougar ID.
Step 6: Evaluate What You Find
You may be asked to use peer-reviewed articles in your assignments.
Many journals of journals are peer-reviewed, which means that submitted articles are reviewed by one or more experts in the field.
Not every article in a peer-reviewed journal has gone through this process.
These articles may include letters, editorials, news items, and book reviews.
Generally, only primary articles, such as studies, are peer-reviewed,
only primary articles, such as studies or review articles, are peer-reviewed.
Step 7: Cite What You Find Using a Standard Format
Give credit where credit is due; cite your sources.
it gives credit to the authors of the materials used
it allows those reading your work to duplicate your research and locate the sources.
Citing or documenting the sources used in your research serves two purposes,
Knowingly representing the work of others as your own is plagiarism
Use a citation style approved by your instructor.
Style manuals are available in the Library and are listed