Writing Center
           West Chester University

Margaret Ervin
Lawrence 214
West Chester, PA 19383
610-430-5664
mervin@wcupa.edu


Research Search Strategy
Some Helpful Guidelines


Choosing  a Topic:

1. Choose a subject of interest to you. You will find it makes the writing process a lot easier.
2. Be practical. Consider time, length, and availability of information on the subject.
3. Choose a topic for which resources are available to you and one that is appropriate for your audience.

Generating Ideas

Think about what it is you want to investigate. Brainstorm, take notes, interview someone, talk to your instructor, or come to the Writing Center.

Evaluating Sources
Checklist for Evaluating a Print Source

1. Who wrote it and is it authoritative?  Check encyclopedias, textbooks, and  academic journals. If a source is cited frequently by other sources, that source is probably reliable.
 
2. Where is the information? Information in scholarly journals, sometimes called "peer-reviewed" journals, is generally more credible than information in texts that do not have a review process. 

3. Are information and arguments well supported?  Check that each source supports assertions or information with sufficient evidence.  Be wary of a source that offers little to back up a position.

4. Is the tone balanced?  Approach a source critically.  If the source’s tone is unbiased and the reasoning logical, the source is most likely reliable.

4. Is it current?  Make sure the information is up to date.  Long accepted information is sometimes replaced or modified by new research.  Check the library’s catalogs and indexes to journals; the most recent information in any field appears first in that field’s academic journals.

Online Search

Browsing on-line may help in your research efforts. You may  find source material and consult databases online. When conducting an online search use a search engine, such as www.altavista.com , www.yahoo.com , www.askjeeves.com , or www.google.com .

Once again, you need to make sure online sources are reliable.
Here is checklist for evaluating an on-line source:

Reliable
Unreliable
Author  has Credentials
Junk Mail/Chat rooms
Ebsohost Peer Reviewed Articles
Commercial Web sites
Education and Government Web sites
Un-updated material

For more information check out  How Do I Write a Research Paper

All information referenced: Decisions: A Writer's Handbook, Leonard J. Rosen
                                         Quick Access Reference For Writers, Lynn Quitman Troyka


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