Getting Started Introduction To Research Research Guides At

Leo Migdal

-Dec 9, 2025, 7:14 PM

getting started introduction to research research guides at

This research guide will introduce you to and help you through key elements of the research and writing processes, including: Research can seem daunting at first, but with the tips, tricks, and resources provided in this guide, you'll be a pro in no time. Use the blue boxes on the left-hand side to dive in! Good luck! You're not alone in this process. Librarians are here to help you find sources for your paper.

If you feel stuck, chat with us, email us, or schedule a research consultation in person or online. Welcome to the Introduction to Research guide! This guide will teach you everything you need to know to get started on your research projects. Navigation: You can navigate the guide using the menu on the left side of your screen (or the top of your screen on a mobile device). The tabs are organized sequentially from top to bottom, so you can use the navigation menu to guide you through the research process from beginning to end. Before you get started: It’s important to keep in mind that:

The Golden Rule: Regardless of the scope or nature of your research, the most important thing is that you create a realistic plan from the start. Diving into research without a clear plan is a one-way ticket to frustration and burnout. However, following the steps in this guide will help you develop a plan that keeps you on track for any research assignment. Purdue University Libraries is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government information. Access to the government information collection is open to the public.

In accordance with Purdue policies, all persons have equal access to Purdue University’s educational programs, services and activities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status,... See Purdue’s Nondiscrimination Policy Statement. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please contact the Office of the Vice President for Ethics and Compliance at vpec@purdue.edu or 765-494-5830. When you have to write a thesis or dissertation, it can be hard to know where to begin, but there are some clear steps you can follow. The research process often begins with a very broad idea for a topic you’d like to know more about. You do some preliminary research to identify a problem.

After refining your research questions, you can lay out the foundations of your research design, leading to a proposal that outlines your ideas and plans. This article takes you through the first steps of the research process, helping you narrow down your ideas and build up a strong foundation for your research project. First you have to come up with some ideas. Your thesis or dissertation topic can start out very broad. Think about the general area or field you’re interested in—maybe you already have specific research interests based on classes you’ve taken, or maybe you had to consider your topic when applying to graduate school... Even if you already have a good sense of your topic, you’ll need to read widely to build background knowledge and begin narrowing down your ideas.

Conduct an initial literature review to begin gathering relevant sources. As you read, take notes and try to identify problems, questions, debates, contradictions and gaps. Your aim is to narrow down from a broad area of interest to a specific niche. Somewhere in between your initial idea and settling on a research question, you'll need to do background research on how scholars in a particular subject area have discussed your topic. You may find background research in your textbook or class readings, academic books in the library's collection, or reference sources. The databases below compile reference sources from a variety of disciplines, and they can be a great way to consider how your topic has been studied from different angles.

After you have an initial project idea, you can think deeper about the idea by developing a "Topic + Question + Significance" sentence. This formula came from Kate Turabian's Student's Guide to Writing College Papers. Turabian notes that you can use it plan and test your question, but do not incorporate this sentence directly into your paper (p. 13): TOPIC: I am working on the topic of __________, QUESTION: because I want to find out __________, SIGNIFICANCE: so that I can help others understand __________. Remember: the shorter your final paper, the narrower your topic needs to be.

Having trouble? Use the assignment calculator to create a schedule for your research. Learn how to connect to resources off-campus. The following databases are a great place to explore issues. A research question is the question that drives your research. Read more information on how to write a research question.

Need help brainstorming? Try mapping your research ideas! Not sure where to begin your research, which database to use, where to find books and locate streaming videos, or how to access articles and journals? If you need help, who should you contact? Below are quick tips and suggestions to help you get started with your library research. These research tools highlight top resources selected by our subject expert librarians.

Browse Research Guides by subject, patron group, or resource type, and once you find your topic, you’re just a click away from quality sources. 1. Research Tutorial Your introduction to college level research. 2. College Level Research College level research, scholarly & peer reviewed articles and more. 3.

Your Research Assignment Understanding your research assignment and picking a topic. 4. Find Your Sources Find college level books, eBooks, articles and media for your research assignments. 5. Evaluate Your Sources Evaluating your sources and spotting fake sites, fake news and media bias. Annotated Bibliography: how to create an annotated bibliography for your classes

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Getting Started Introduction To Research Research Guides At

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This Research Guide Will Introduce You To And Help You

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After Refining Your Research Questions, You Can Lay Out The