The Research Process (Steps)

Step 5

The fifth step is Documenting. As you use the information, you will give credit to the sources by documenting them with proper citations.

Step 6

The final step is Utilizing. In this step utilize the information for a specific purpose. This might be a paper, speech, presentation, or research project. In this step, you will communicate what you found to a particular audience.

Step 1

The first step is Investigating. This involves identifying what it is you need to research, understanding the parameters of your assignment, and stating your research need as either a focused research question or thesis statement.

Step 4

The next step is Evaluating. Once you obtain the information you need, the next step is evaluating the quality of that information.

Step 3

The next step is Locating. Locate the information that you've identified using your search tools in libraries or on the Web. You will use a variety of library services and collections to help you find your sources.

Step 2

The second step is Searching. In this step, you'll choose keywords from your research topic, formulate search statements, and use these in catalogs and databases to find books and articles on your topic.