Writing Center

West Chester University

Dr. Margaret Ervin
Associate Professor of English
214 Lawrence Center
610-430-5664
mervin@wcupa.edu


Handouts

Research Search Strategies
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.
  5. 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

To save as text file, right click here and choose Save As.

<< Prev