DIY Research

Starting your research project can feel overwhelming, especially if the topic is lengthy or your topic broad. Here are some tips to get you start on the right path and help you not feel overwhelmed. 

Start Researching:

• Write out your full research question.
• Narrow down the key terms, these you will use to search with.
• Use the Key Word pdf to map out your key words with possible synonyms and related terms that overlap with your topic area.
  • Example: 
• Review assignments requirements for they type of resources are required.
  • Example: Professors may require a mixture of academic journals, books, clinical trials or newspapers. 
  • Professors might limit websites or other resource types. It varies per assignment.
• Use the Keyword Research Sheet below to guide your process.
• Start using your search terms to find relevant resources.

Narrow Your Results:

• Narrow to Full Text, or Full Free Text ONLY. Abstracts will not be helpful for your needs.
• Narrow by the last 5 years when researching for more current data. Exception: you are looking for historical data.
• Narrow by document type such as academic journals, clinical trials, or book reviews depending on your assignment's requirement.
• When you find a relevant article use the subject headings, and the resources listed at the end to find similar resources.
• Use your key word search to try different search terms to achieve better results.

Tips for good Google search tips:

• Don't use full sentences or questions. Hone in on your keywords.
• Links at the top are typical ads; they are not placed based solely on relevance.
• Tools- located under the search bar can help you narrow down results for relevance, among other factors.

Evaluating Websites

When looking at websites,  the URL is a big indicator of a website credibility.

.com - Commercial Site: hear commercial site, think company. These websites are either selling a product or selling data for profit.

.gov - Government:  provided data, research and resources from a government agency.

Database like Pubmed are actually a .gov website.

Keep in mind: Government agencies like NASA or the Department of Education don't author work individually but by committee. 

.edu - Education: Education websites from and educational institution such as a a four year college or similar. 

.org - Organization:  internet addresses of organizations that do not work for profit

Authority of the Source

 Questions to ask yourself when looking at a resource:

• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
• Is there contact information for the author, or source?
• What does the URL reveal about the source?
• When was this information published? Was it updated?