The Research Process

Good arguments convince a reader to reconsider previously accepted knowledge or opinions about a topic, also known as the status quo.

To save time and effort, decide on a research plan before you begin.

Using reliable sources in research papers strengthens your own voice and argument.

In academic writing, the sources you use must be reliable; therefore, you should rely mainly on scholarly sources as the foundation for your research.

Conducting searches related to the keywords or subheadings of your topic will help systematize your research.

When researching, read through your sources twice: once to understand the author's purpose and argument, and a second time to evaluate the argument.

Taking organized notes on your sources as you do research will be helpful when you begin writing.

An annotated bibliography is a list of all your sources, including full citation information and notes on how you will use the sources.

Once you have enough notes, you should start writing, even if you intend to keep researching.

There are several ways to properly incorporate and give credit to the sources you cite within your paper.

To avoid plagiarism, you must provide an accurate citation every time you use information from an outside source.