1 of 21

Research Strategy Basics

WRTG 3020, 077

Fall 2023

Eric Klinger

2 of 21

Choose Your Subject of Inquiry

Inquiry is a process of posing questions, seeking perspectives, and building knowledge. The first step is to identify a subject or issue that matters to you. You may start with a very broad and open area of interest. �

  • Review textbooks from your favorite classes�
  • Scan newspapers, magazines, and documentaries �
  • Browse online media

3 of 21

Establish your Subject Knowledge

Brainstorm key aspects of your subject: who, what, where, when, why, how. List what you already know about your subject. List what you need to know about your subject to be conversant with stakeholders.�

4 of 21

Identify Key Concepts

  1. State your research topic.
    • Example: The impact of the remote learning on college students.

​

  • Identify key ideas.
    • Example: college students, test scores, distance learning, mental health, isolation, COVID lockdown, remote, Zoom, in- person, synchronous, asynchronous, study habits, socialization, learning preferences

5 of 21

Create a Mindmap

Image: http://www.mindmeister.com

6 of 21

Develop Search Terms

Brainstorm synonyms and related keywords.

�Examples:

    • High school students= teens, teenagers, adolescents, youth�
    • Distance learning= online learning, Zoom, WebEx, remote learning, asynchronous/synchronous classes�
    • Social isolation= pandemic/covid lockdowns, social distancing, masking�

7 of 21

Develop Search Terms, cont.

Apply search strategies.�

  • Combine similar terms with OR. �Example: online OR remote. �
  • Use an asterisk * to retrieve variations. Example: Teen*= teens, teen, teenagers.

​

  • Use quotations to search for phrases. Example: “remote learning”

​

  • Combine it all with AND

Example: “remote learning” AND teen* AND “test score”

8 of 21

Ask Questions to Develop Your Understanding

  • Compare and contrast � [How is X like or unlike Y?] �
  • Associate your topic with another    

[How did X happen in relation to Y?]�

  • Interpret the state of your topic    

[How can we measure the significance of X?] �

  • Explore possibilities or outcomes    

[How can we identify the consequences of X?]�

  • Lead to a call for action or change    

[How can we change X?]�

  • Argue for a particular stance    

[What case can be made for or against X?] 

9 of 21

Conduct Background Research

  • Read digests or overview sources to better understand the subject, e.g., CQ researcher, Wikipedia, organizational websites, news coverage�
  • Note key terms, key events, key people, key places�
  • Identify sub-topics or related subjects

​

10 of 21

Develop More Focused Research Questions

Clarifying your question(s) will help pinpoint what it is that you are curious about and will help you explore those curiosities.  

​

Strong research questions:

​

    • seek complex answers (gray areas)�
    • require analysis, synthesis, comparison, and critical thinking � 
    • matter to you and your audience��Example:
    • “Is social media bad for people?”�[What clarifying questions might we develop to explore this?]

11 of 21

Categorizing Sources

Information types differ in many ways, including:�

  • Tone & Formality: casual or specialized language  �
  • Purpose: persuade, inform, sell, entertain  �
  • Form & Distribution: book, article, tweet, print, digital, fee based, free  �
  • Authorship & Editorial Process: self published, editorial review, peer review� 
  • Audience: popular, professional, scholarly 

12 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Books and e-Books

It’s probably a book or e-book if

​

    • You found it in the Library Catalog, eBook Central, or in an open-source platform like Project Gutenberg.

​

    • The publication information includes a geographic place (for print books) and publisher name. 

​

    • The publication date is usually only listed as a year.

​

    • There is an ISBN number listed.

13 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Books and e-Books

​

14 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Journal Articles

It's probably a journal article (also called scholarly, peer-reviewed, or academic article) if:

​

  • You found it in a library database, such as ProQuest, or on Google Scholar�
  • There is an article title and a journal title in the publication information.�
  • There is a volume and issue number.�
  • There are page numbers.�
  • The article is long, written for a specific audience, and has a bibliography.

15 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Journal Articles

16 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Magazine Articles

It's probably a magazine article if:

​

  • It contains longer articles about a variety of subjects, and not only current news.�
  • It seems written for a specific audience (ex: a parenting or fashion magazine). �
  • It includes a lot of images, photographs, and different fonts.

17 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Magazine Articles

18 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Newspaper (and News Site) Articles

It's probably a newspaper article if:

​

  • It has shorter articles about current news and events. �
  • It is written for the general public.�
  • It’s a daily or weekly publication.

​

19 of 21

Common Types of Sources

Websites and Electronic Resources

It’s probably a website / non-periodical web document if:

​

    • It is only located online and not in print.�
  • It is not updated with articles or posts on a frequent and regular basis (like an online newspaper or blog).

20 of 21

Source Credibility

    • Author
    • Publisher
    • Funding source
    • Timeliness
    • Topic coverage
    • Quality and tone
    • Relevance to topic
    • Consensus

21 of 21

References

https://chat.library.berkeleycollege.edu/faq/204372

https://libguides.colorado.edu/strategies/getstarted