Research

For many students, research is just a task to get through; an obstacle in an assignment to overcome. It often conjures up images of countless hours scouring a library database with no success (or let’s be honest–a Google or Wikipedia search). Or if you’re a bit old school, wandering the stacks in the library. The task seems daunting–where will you ever find that “perfect source”? Why does your prof care so much about how many other sources you reference in your assignment?

In reality, research isn’t just about filling a quota; it’s an integral step in critical thinking and learning, as well as many types of academic composition. Ever wonder why it seems impossibly difficult to come up with anything to say on your topic? Curious why you get nailed time and again for “needing more development” in your writing? Or why your ideas fall flat or sound like you’re repeating what everyone else says? Those are just a few of the signs that more learning–aka, more research–needs to be done before you can truly engage in authentic thinking and writing on a topic.

The resources below offer various ways to think about and engage successfully in the research process. Whether it’s for your next assignment or if you just want to be a more informed individual, you’ll be well on your way once you’ve tried out a few of these ideas and tips.

ConnectED skills related to research: Communicative fluency; Ethical reasoning; Global and cultural responsiveness; Information literacy; Problem solving

Course-Specific Research Guides