It's quick!
It's easy!
It's free!
It's meeting with a librarian!
Research is a process, but it doesn't have to be a difficult one! If you are having a hard time finding relevant sources, don't know where to look or what to try next, or seem to have hit a wall, please schedule a research consultation! We are here to help, and any question you have about your research question and sources is something we look forward to working with you on. Just click the "meet with me" button above, or you can schedule an appointment with any librarian through the library homepage.
Who can I schedule with?
Anyone, really! But some librarians are liaisons for specific subjects, so they are more familiar with those fields. For example we have a History Librarian, a Modern Languages Librarian, a Chemistry Librarian, and so on. If you want to meet with the librarian within your major, you can find your liaison librarian using the link below.
Applying the CRAAP Test
Currency: The timeliness of the information.
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.
Authority: The source of the information.
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.
Purpose: The reason the information exists.
Adapted from the original CRAAP Test created by Meriam Library at CSU- Chico.
Narrow a topic idea
You may not know what your research question is right away. Gather information on the broader topic to explore new possibilities and to help narrow your topic. Brainstorm some search terms and try likely databases to see what scholars are saying about the topic.
Ask yourself:
Consider your audience. Who would be interested in the issue?
From Topic to Research Question
After choosing a topic and gathering background information, add focus with a research question.
Write down a few exploratory questions
Determine and evaluate your research question
Hypothesize
After you’ve come up with a question, consider the path your answer might take.
Adapted from George Mason University Writing Center’s How to write a research question and Indian University Bloomington’s Develop A Research Question.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Justina Elmore, University of Rochester.