Finding and Using Information for Research Projects

Create New Knowledge (Conclusion)

After these steps, you will have created your own information source!

If you complete all of these steps, your contribution to the body of knowledge in your topic area will be:

• Focused, since you started by exploring background information before developing your topic, and...
• Strengthened with your use of high quality sources
  • You won’t settle for the first few results
  • You will evaluate each source thoughtfully based on the context of your need
  • You will acknowledge the ideas from others just as someone exploring your information product (research paper, article review, blog post, poster, presentation, etc.) should cite your ideas

Research Process: Messy Reality

Although the research process was presented one step at a time (Explore Background, Develop Topic, Find Sources, Evaluate Sources, Use & Cite Sources, Create New Knowledge), in reality, it can be very messy!

Sometimes steps happen simultaneously, or in a different order for different researchers or with different projects. Remaining flexible is important! As long as you complete each step, you're off to a great start.

As you complete your assignment or project, you might be left with more questions that need to be answered- which leads you right back into the research process. That’s great! Research is all about asking questions. Stay curious, friends!

Reminder: Learn about specific terms used in this tutorial on the Definition of Terms page.

Reflection

After you've gone through the research process and/or created a new piece of information, take some time to reflect on your personal process. Which steps were the easiest? The hardest? Which steps did you spend the most amount of time in? The least? Where did you ask for help? Where do you wish you had asked for help? Reflecting on the process can help you improve it for next time.