When you're working on a research project, figuring out what to do next is sometimes difficult. Here's one version of the research process. Try it out! It might help you become even more productive than you already are.
Select a topic
Draft a research question
Brainstorm keywords
Search, and revise your search
Find 3-5 useful sources
Preview your sources to see how well they answer your question
Revisit your research question
Repeat steps 2-7 until you're ready to start writing or revising
Prepare your citations and bibliography
Talk with a librarian about YOUR research process. Find us at the Research Desk or online at go.middlebury.edu/askus/.
First, try LibrarySearch (go.middlebury.edu/librarysearch) and ProQuest Central (go.middlebury.edu/pqcentral). Then, go to a research guide (go.middlebury.edu/guides) and select a database based on your topic and question.
Learn how to distinguish between scholarly and popular sources in this guide: Scholarly vs. Popular (go.middlebury.edu/scholarly).
This guide provides tips for savvy use of online news sources: Internet News, Fact-Checking and Critical Thinking (go.middlebury.edu/factcheck/).
Ask yourself if it should be more specific or more broad, or if it needs to focus on a different aspect of the topic. Anticipate revising your question and your search throughout the research and writing process.
Record the citation information of the sources you find so that you can easily cite them later. For more advice on citing sources, read our guide: Citation & Style (go.middlebury.edu/citation/).