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Research Process: A Step-by-Step Guide: Home

This guide will help you understand the research process that you need to go through for your assignments.

Style Guides

Referencing or citing your sources is an important part of academic writing. It lets you acknowledge the ideas or words of others if you use them in your work and helps avoid plagiarism.

Referencing also demonstrates that you've read relevant background literature and you can provide authority for statements you make in your assignments.

The Harvard citation style is the preferred referencing style at tWaikerie HIgh School and at many universities. It is an author-date referencing style. The Harvard citation style can vary in minor features such as punctuation, capitalisation, abbreviations, and the use of italics.

Recommended Books

Ergo

Having trouble with your research? Click on the link below to get some help and guidance with any of the steps in the Research Process.

Research skills with Ergo

 

Research Process Overview

The research process typically includes five broad steps. Most often you complete one step before moving onto the next. However, there may be times when you will need to return to a previous step or complete multiple steps simultaneously.

Step 1. Develop a topic
Selecting a Topic | Develop Research QuestionsDevelop a Thesis | Identify Keywords | Find Background Information | Refine a Topic

Step 2. Locate information
Find Books | Find Articles | Find Websites | Search Strategies

Step 3. Evaluate and analyze information and sources
Evaluate Sources | Annotated Works Cited | Primary v Secondary Sources | Types of Periodicals

Step 4. Use, organise and communicate information
Notetaking | Paraphrasing | Outlining

Step 5. Comply with legal, ethical and moral standards
Plagiarism | Harvard Referencing Style | Bibliography Examples | Copyright

Research Process Overview

Tip

Choose a topic that interests you and will hold your attention.

The research will be more enjoyable if you are interested in your topic. 

Research Quick Tools

In a document or presentation, you can research and refer to information and images on the web without leaving the file. This feature is available on computers, Android phones, and Android tablets.

Click here to find out how.

Credits

Guide adopted from Belleville High School by JJ Stallcup