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4: The Research Process

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    328462

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    Introduction

    Some students get anxious when it comes time to do research. This is understandable as the whole process can seem daunting. Supporting an argument with research can seem intimidating and time consuming. This is especially true if you wait until the last minute to write your paper.

    However, if you start early, ask questions, and use the writing process, your anxiety levels will decrease. The writing process is a series of tasks that you use to complete a writing project. Keep in mind that a research paper isn’t that different from a non-researched one. You use similar organization and paragraph structures. You just substitute researched information for examples or personal experience. The information you include will be used as evidence to support your ideas. It'll be incorporated as summaries, paraphrases, and quotations. To avoid plagiarizing that information, you will cite your sources using established formatting guidelines. All of this will be explained in the coming chapter.

    Chapter goals.

    By the end of the chapter, you should:

    1. See how the skills in the literacy landscape apply to the research process.

    2. Plan a research project.

    3. Review strategies for narrowing a topic and writing a research question.

    4. Learn the definitions of some research metalanguage.

    5. Use a library database.

    6. Apply the CRAAP test and lateral reading to evaluating online sources.

    7. Write notes from sources as summaries, paraphrases, or quotations.

    8. Differentiate an acceptable paraphrase from a plagiarized one.

    9. Define and avoid dropped quotations.

    When you get a research assignment, the best strategy is to look at your schedule and make a project plan. If you don’t use a planner, you can download and the appropriate calendar pages or use an online calendar.

    As you plan, consider the number of week you have for the project. The research process should include time for reading sources, taking notes, drafting, and revising. This will be in addition to your classroom time, coursework, any holidays, yur work schedule, weekend activities. Give yourself plenty of time for proofreading and editing. Remember to include time to eat and sleep. Note any due dates within the writing process plus the final due date.

    4: The Research Process is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LauraLee Miller, Western Technical College.