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Research Process

Research Basics

Young student researchingResearch is...

  • Driven by a question that guides the process. 

  • Seeking information with a clear goal. 

  • A process, which works best when done step- by-step. The steps may need to be repeated. 

  • Collection and interpretation of data in an attempt to resolve the problem. 

  • Going beyond facts and old ideas. 

  • Taking a new look at the information and taking a stand. 

 

Ferguson, Retha. “Crop African American student studying craters of moon on tablet at observatory.” Pexels, 22 Feb. 2020. www.pexels.com/photo/crop-african-american-student-studying-craters-of-moon-on-tablet-at-observatory-3825569/. Accessed 25 August 2020.

Research is not: 

 

  • Copying and pasting information you find through a Google search. 

 

  • Combining a paragraph from one article with a couple of paragraphs from websites. That's plagiarism. 

 

  • Rearranging facts 

 

  • Rewording each phrase and citing each source. That's just a summary of facts with someone else's name on them and still can be classified as plagiarism. 

Words for the wise student:  

 

  • Remember, begin with a "wide net" and then narrow your search results. 

 

  • If you only look for specific information to answer a specific question, you may miss many opportunities to broaden your understanding. 

 

  • Allow for surprises- you may find your views on your topic will change and take you in an entirely new direction. 

 

  • Remember that research is searching again and again. 

 

  • In the process of doing research, you will be looking at information that others have looked at before, trying to see something that they have not seen. 

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Taken from : “Research Process Demystified @ Pitt: Research Process.” LibGuides, pitt.libguides.com/researchprocess/process. Accessed 22nd May 2020.