Start with an idea -The idea may be assigned, or something you came across in your reading or class discussions that was of interest to you. Write down a list of possible topics to explore.
Explore -To expand on an idea, resources like Google and Wikipedia are a great way to get started, create a list of keywords, and to further develop your idea. It is good to explore different resources as you gather initial information
Formulate your research question -What is it about your topic that you find interesting? Why is that? If you can answer those questions then you have the components of the main idea you want to research.
Find sources -Going beyond Google and Wikipedia it is necessary to find a variety of resources (scholarly, primary, and so on). To dive deeper and be more effective in searching it is useful to go to a subject specific database.
Select and evaluate -Each article you save has something of interest to you. Make sure the article supports the claim you are making. Use a credibility test to measure the reliability and validity of your resource. Find sources that are relevant to your topic and answer questions that will enhance your paper and the synthesis of your topic.
