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Research: From selecting a topic to writing the bibliography

Use this guide for assistance with all aspects of the research process.

Table of Contents for this guide

word cloud with concepts considered in this guide, like "research," "creation," and "source"

Selecting a Topic  Picking a topic is not a single step. This page will guide you through the process.

Developing a Research Question You need a good open-ended question to best steer your research process.

What Type of Source Do I Need?  What kind of information are you looking for? This page will pose questions to help you figure that out.

Selecting the Best Place to Search  Now that you know what source you need we'll suggest search engines so that you can find that information.

Search Like a Pro   Search more efficiently with these tips and tricks.

Evaluating Information   Guidelines to help you decide if the information you found would be useful in your research project.

Citing  Brief explanation of why it's important along with links to resources that will make the process easier.

Looking for more advanced research strategies? Check out What Graduate Students Need to Know

How to use this guide

This guide will give you the basic information you need to get started -- either with the research process as a whole, or with a particular step.

For in-depth answers to your specific questions, email or make an appointment with a GW librarian.   

 

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