If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? mdash albert einstein if we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? mdash albert einstein one of the most important aspects of college work is research. In any college course, you will need to gather information, assess it, and present it in your own work. But another way to look at the prospect of conducting research is that it is your turn to delve into a new and interesting subject and present your own ideas about what it means. There is creativity in the research process, because you can often choose your own topic and sources, and use your ability to synthesize and analyze information to create something entirely new, whether it is a paper, lab report, or presentation. The advent of the internet simplified research in many ways, making it more convenient and comprehensive, but the search for appropriate sources among the vast amount of information available means you need to refine your research skills. A professor will often assign a topic, or provide you with a list of approved topics from which you can choose the one that interests you most.

However, some professors, often in more advanced courses, suggest a general subject area and allow students to narrow their focus on their own within that general subject. This is when many students worry that they wont choose an appropriate topic because they want to make sure they complete the assignment correctly. The most important thing to remember in this situation is that the topic you choose should be clearly related to the general subject of the assignment or the course. If you have questions, it is always best to consult with your professor, who can provide further guidance on the assignment. Email your topic, outline and/or list of sources to your professor to make sure you are on target. An excellent resource to help you understand how to choose a good topic is purdue universitys online writing lab owl.

You should also make sure that when you select your topic, you get approval from your professor or check to make sure that your topic will fulfill the assignment. Libraries, archives, databases, and other online materials are all considered appropriate and even necessary sources of information for college level work. Here are a few places where you can begin your hunt for data: libraries. a library, either online or on the ground, may be the best place to begin gathering the sources you will need to learn about your topic. Libraries contain in depth catalogs of their on site and online holdings, including books, journals, and archival materials such as document collections. Cornell university offers an excellent guide called the seven steps of research process. All academic librarians are extensively trained in library science and can suggest research avenues that may not occur to you. You dont even have to be in a physical library to reap the benefits of librarian help.

When you use an online library, there are librarians available to you in real time, meaning that you can email a question and receive a response in a reasonable amount of time. databases. in addition to the online catalog of a librarys holdings, databases are searchable electronic lists of all the articles, reviews, and scientific results published in professional scholarly journals. There are also searchable newspaper databases like the international coalition on newspapers. Which can include centuries old newspapers and popular publications in addition to their book catalogs.

Once you find your materials in a database, you can then download the material directly to your computer and read it at your convenience. The trick to using online resources successfully is to understand how to use search terms. The basic internet search method is called boolean searching and is conducted by using terms called boolean operators to define exactly what it is you are searching for. For example, if you want to find information on colleges and universities, the phrase you would use to search for course material in a database is colleges and universities. There are useful tutorials on boolean searching available on the internet if you want to refine your skills. websites. the internet can provide a wealth of resources for researchers, but it can also lead you down a false path if you do not know how to search efficiently. One of the most well known search engines tailored to academic research, including search engines focused on specific academic fields or professional disciplines, and the search engine list offers a list of such search tools.

Once you select a search engine, it is important to type in the most effective search terms to find the sources you need. To do this, use boolean operators in website searches, just as you do in database searches, to get accurate information. Also, make sure to note the hyperlinks in any article you read, and click on them to find additional information. After you have gathered a number of potential sources to peruse, take the time to determine whether they are beneficial or not.

Essay on Effects of Technology on Human Life

Unfortunately, some sources are far less helpful than others, so it important to evaluate the research and articles you have uncovered before launching your project. determine usefulness. there are so many interesting resources that it is easy to get distracted while conducting research. Because of this, not everything you find interesting will actually be useful for your research. This is especially true when it comes to finding information on the internet, where you can find hundreds of websites that are only tangentially connected to your research topic.

It is absolutely necessary to remain focused on your research topic, and assess the usefulness of each of your sources. If the source does not deal directly with your topic, it might not be the best material for your research. evaluating credibility. not all books, articles, websites or other pieces of information possess credibility, which is the term used to describe the quality or value of the resources you use. Are they an expert in their field? for example, a manual on brain surgery written by a biology researcher who has never conducted surgery would have less credibility than a manual written by an experienced brain surgeon.