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Choose Your Topic
This is the first basic step in the research process. In some cases, you will be assigned a specific topic for your research paper. In other cases you will be able to complete your research on a topic of your choice. If you are able to choose your own topic, consider the following:

Choose a topic that is of interest to you
You will be spending quite a bit of time doing  research and writing your paper--interest in the topic can make the process much easier.

Make sure your topic meets the guidelines set by your instructor
If there are any doubts, consult with your instructor. 

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Develop Your Topic
Once you have chosen a topic, you can use the following techniques to develop it:

State your Topic as a Question
Putting your topic in the form of a question can help you clarify and focus your topic. For example, if you are interested in finding out about the use of alcohol by college students, you might state the question as "What effect does the use of alcohol have on the health of college students?" Keep that question in mind as you look at resources such as articles. Ask yourself if the article you are looking at will help you answer your topic question--if it won't, move on to the next article. If you can't find any that will answer it, you may need to change your topic question.

Identify the Main Concepts in your Question
In this case the main concepts are alcohol, health, and college students. These terms can be used as keywords when searching databases or the Internet.

Get an Overview of your Topic
A quick check of an encyclopedia (for topics that are not too current), CQ Researcher or Issues and Controversies on File (for more current topics) can give you an overview of your topic. This can save time in the long run by giving you a good grasp of the various issues affecting your topic. These resources are available online CQ Researcher or Issues and Controversies on COM Library's Database page.

Test your Topic
Test your topic by looking it up in COM Library's online databases to see if there is enough information to fulfill your assignment. 

Too Much Information
If you are finding too much information on your topic, look at the list of articles that you retrieved. You will generally find that these articles have focused on specific aspects of your topic. That should give you several ideas on how to narrow your topic. Generally, combining your topic with another term(s) using "and" will narrow it. Using "and" indicates that both terms must be present to be retrieved. Example: beer and health and college students. 

Too Little Information
Finding too little information may indicate that you need to broaden your topic. For example, look for information on students, rather than college students. You can also use "or" to broaden your search. Using "or" indicates that either term(s) may be present to be retrieved. It is generally chosen when using several terms to describe the same or a similar concept. Example: alcoholic beverages or beer or wine or liquor.

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Gather Your Sources
After you have decided what subject areas are involved in your topic, start to think about what type of information you need: General, Factual or In-Depth information. Many topics require a combination of all three. In research papers you frequently go from a general overview to specific examples that illustrate your main points. Your instructor may require that you use different formats of sources, such as books, articles and Internet resources, which can each be General, Factual or In-Depth.

TIP: Start with Books
When researching most topics, it is generally best to look for books first, then articles, and save the Internet for last. Why? Books can cover you topic more thoroughly and give you ideas to help focus your topic when looking for articles. By the time you have books and articles, your search should be pretty focused and you should have very specific ideas and terms with which to search the Internet, where you may otherwise find too much information that is not relevant to your topic.

Types of Information

General
General information sources provide an overview of a subject, person, or event. This type of resource is helpful when you are researching a topic that is unfamiliar to you. Books such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks are good resources of general information. Depending on the topic, the Internet can also be a good resource for general information.

If your topic is the Civil Rights movement for African Americans in the 1960's, you will want to have general information to give an overview of events.

Example: General Information Resources
Encyclopædia Britannica, CQ Researcher*, and Issues and Controversies on File*.

Factual
Factual information sources cover very specific details like statistics, names or dates. Books like almanacs and directories are good factual information sources. Depending on the topic, the Internet and some articles can also be good sources for factual information.

If your topic is Civil Rights you may want to cite factual information, actual events that were significant such as the Freedom Rides of 1961. 

Example: Factual Information Resources
Texas Almanac, Statistical Abstract of the United States, Smithsonian Timelines of the Ancient World, and Atlas of Wildlife

In-Depth
In-depth information sources answer questions that cannot be answered with general or factual information sources alone. These questions are frequently why or how and may not always have a final answer. Books, longer articles and sometimes Internet resources have in-depth information.

If your topic is Civil Rights the focus of your in-depth information might be an attempt to answer the question: "Why was there so much resistance to equal rights for African Americans in the sixties?"

Example:  In-Depth Information Resources
The Cold War as History (book), Journal of Marriage and the Family (Journal), Social Problems (Journal), CQ Researcher* (book), and Issues and Controversies on File* (book). COM Library also has articles that provide in-depth information.

* CQ Researcher and Issues and Controversies on File provide both general overviews and in-depth information.

TIP: How To Guides
COM Library may have a how to guide on your topic that lists the best resources available in COM Library on that topic: subject headings to use in the Library Catalog to look for books; general Call Numbers, if you want to browse the shelves for books; reference books with the call numbers; the best print and online databases to use to find articles, and the URL (Universal Resource Locator) of COM Library's list of Internet links on that topic. Go to the How To Guides page to access most of these guides. Some of these guides are also available in print on the Library Resource Guide rack near the Reference Desk in COM library, but the online version should always be more current. Frequently used guides include the How to Research Hot Topics and How to Cite MLA Style.

Unfortunately, COM Library cannot make guides for every topic, and the ones that we do have tend to be very general or on popular subjects. Your topic may not be there, but if it is, the guide can probably save you some time. If you would like to suggest a topic for a guide, you can email dl-library-reference@com.edu, or drop a note off to the Reference Office.

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Evaluate Your Sources
You found some resources on your topic. Now you have to decide what to use. How do you know if it is suitable for college level research? How do you know if what you have is accurate?

Is it even true?
Internet resources are a special concern for your instructors because there are so many diverse organizations and individuals publishing Web pages with no screening process. Since most Web sites are not evaluated before being published, you will be responsible for evaluating the sites you use. Some sites are published as jokes, propaganda, outright lies, and some are published by people who simply don't know what they're talking about.

Books and periodicals in the library have gone through at least two screening processes: someone had to decide that the work was publishable; someone had to decide the work would be of value in the library's collection. Even so, not all books and articles are suitable for your research. Even books and articles can be biased and once in a while things get published in print that aren't true.

Case Study: Wikipedia
A good example of some of the best and worst of the web is Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. Some entries are fantastic, written by experts, with lots of details and point to other good resources; some are written by people who don't know very much about the subject. Theoretically, over time, the inaccurate stuff will go away. Eventually the goal is to publish it in print, and it may end up being the best encyclopedia ever written--time will tell.

Meanwhile there is still stuff in Wikipedia that is inaccurate. In fact, an entry recently had to be removed from Wikipedia that was false: John Siegenthaler Sr. was listed in Wikipedia as having been a suspect in the JFK assassination. This was not only untrue, but slanderous. Read the editorial Siegenthaler wrote in USA Today about it or the article from PBS on the fictional Wikipedia entry.

So what's a college student supposed to do?
With stuff like this going on, how are you supposed to know what is true and what isn't? Regardless of the format of your source (book, article or Internet), there are criteria you can look at to help you evaluate them: Credentials, Documentation, Objectivity, Timeliness and Review and Editing.

Credentials
What are the author's credentials? Look for information like the author's education, experience, occupation, position, and other publications by the author to help you determine whether the author knows about their subject.

• Where to find credentials for articles
  Articles may or may not present credentials. Popular magazines usually just list the author's name, but sometimes even that is not listed. Articles in professional or scholarly journals tend to list credentials at the beginning or end of an article and usually include the name of the author and details that pertain to their expertise on the topic, such as education or occupation. (see the chart below).
• Where to find credentials for books
  The credentials of the author of a book are frequently on the jacket, or at the beginning of a book.
• Where to find credentials for web sites
  Web sites, like articles, may or may not present credentials. A common place for Web sites to list credentials is at the top or bottom of the page. You may have to go back to the home page of the site to see credentials. If credentials are not listed, that does not mean that the author has no expertise, but it does make it hard for you to evaluate whether he/she/they do.

Objectivity
What is the likely bias of the author (individual or institution)? The credentials of the author may give you clues to bias. The purpose of the author in presenting ideas, opinions, or research may in part determine the usefulness of the source. Does the source show political, cultural or other bias? Are opposing points of view represented? Is this information verified in other sources? On Web sites, there may be an "about us," or "about this site," or "who we are" page. You may not be able to evaluate the objectivity of any single resource until you have looked at all your resources. Even biased sources can sometimes be used, if you are aware of the bias.

Documentation
What resources did the author(s) of your resource use? The amount and type of documentation used affects the value of your source and may help you verify the facts or conclusions presented. Documentation generally consists of bibliography, footnotes, credits, sources, or quotations. Resources that include documentation are considered more reliable and scholarly and are more suitable for college level research. Your instructors know that having documentation makes it easier to evaluate a work--that's why it's usually required on your research papers!

• Where to find documentation
  Documentation is usually at the end of a book, article, or Web page.

Timeliness
The date of publication may determine the value of a source. If you are researching computer information, even a year old may be obsolete. If you are researching literature, resources that are 50 years old may still be valid. Frequently your instructor may restrict your resources to a given time period relative to the subject, such as no older then 5 years.

• Where to find publication date for books or articles
  Date of publication should be clearly listed at the front of a book or periodical.
• Where to find publication date for web sites
  Web sites may have this information, usually at the bottom of the page.

Review and Editing: Scholarly and Professional Journals
Was the material reviewed or edited for publication? Reviewed or edited articles are more closely scrutinized for accuracy and value. Professional or scholarly journals have more reviewed and edited articles than popular magazines (see the chart below).

• Where to find review/editing for articles or books
  Check the front of the periodical or book for information on the editing, review and selection process for that periodical.
• Where to find review/editing for web sites
  Web sites may have them at the beginning or end of a page, or on the home page of the site but are much less likely to have been reviewed. 

  TIP: The Easy Way to find Scholarly Articles
  Go to EBSCO. EBSCO databases allow you to limit to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals--and that's the only quick and easy way to find them!

The chart below lists criteria that can be used to tell whether you have an article from a scholarly journal or from a popular magazine. Most of the criteria listed for scholarly journal articles can also be applied to books and Internet resources to help determine their value. The more criteria your resource has listed under the Scholarly Journals column, the more likely it will be a good resource.

Scholarly Journals		Popular Magazines
Lengthy, detailed articles		Brief articles
References and sources listed		References and sources seldom given
Graphs, charts, usually no photographs		Photographs
Articles written by an expert, always signed (author's name listed)		Articles usually written by staff or freelance writer, frequently unsigned (author's name not listed)
Credentials of author listed		Credentials usually unlisted
Aimed at people in the field		Aimed at general public
Few ads		Lots of Ads
May be peer reviewed		Not peer reviewed

Example:  Scholarly Journals
Journal of Applied Psychology, JAMA, Modern Fiction Studies

Example:  Popular Magazines
Fortune, Reader's Digest, People, Time

Library Webcast
Now go to Credible Sources Count! and complete a quick tutorial on evaluation. Note: the tutorial includes audio, so you may want to use headphones.

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Cite Your Sources
Once your sources are selected, you will need to cite them. The main purpose of citation is so that anyone reading your research, specifically your instructor, can find the sources you used.

There are several styles of citation, and even though they may require the same basic information, different fields of study use different styles. Your instructor will let you know which citation style they want you to use. The most commonly used style at COM is the MLA style, especially in the Humanities. APA is also used, especially in Nursing. 

COM Library has created the MLA Style Guide and APA Style Guide. They include specific examples of frequently used sources in COM Library, such as CQ Researcher, articles from our online databases, and Internet sites. They are available in print, but the online versions will always be more current.

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Plagiarism

What is it?
"to the take (the work or an idea of someone else) and pass it off as one's own" is how The Concise Oxford English Dictionary in English Dictionaries & Thesauruses defines plagiarize.

As outlined in your COM Student Handbook, plagiarism is a "breach of student conduct and subject to discipline". The student handbook defines it as “the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means, another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work.”

Plagiarism can happen in several different ways. Some you may be conscious of doing and others may be unintentional. Examples:

• Failing to cite sources you used.
• Copying text from a source and pasting it into your paper.
• Getting someone else to write your paper.
• Buying a paper and turning it as your own work.

What happens if you do it?
Even plagiarizing unintentionally carries consequences. According to the Humanities Plagiarism Policy:

"Any student who plagiarizes will receive a grade of “0” on his/her plagiarized work and may, as a result, receive a failing grade in the course. Ignorance will not be an acceptable defense: all students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the rules of documentation," and " Violation of the Plagiarism Policy may result in a referral to the College of the Mainland Judicial Coordinator or further disciplinary actions as stated in the current Student Handbook."

How do you avoid it?
At COM all of the Humanities faculty require that students do specific things to avoid plagiarism. All of your COM English, humanities, philosophy and speech instructors require that:

1. You must document when you quote directly from another source.
2. You must document when you paraphrase words from another source.
3. You must document when you summarize ideas from another source.
4. You must document when you use facts (statistics in a chart or graph, for example) or visual material from another source.
5. You must use the Modern Language Association (MLA) format of documentation.
6. To document using the MLA system, you must provide an in-text parenthetical citation and a corresponding entry on a Works Cited page. “Source” may refer to published works (including material available from electronic/computer networks or databases), electronically broadcast programs, films, recordings, interviews, speeches, or lectures.

TIPS:

• Citation is usually the last thing you do before turning in your paper, but it takes longer to do than you think. Make sure you allow enough time to cite your sources correctly. Ideally you should leave enough time to be able to ask your instructor about any citations you are not sure about.
• Refer to your English 1301 text books for MLA citation information.
• Refer to COM Library's MLA Style Guide. It includes specific examples from our library, including some of the more difficult ones to cite, like our databases.

The more expert you become with the MLA citation style and research, the less likely you will be to plagiarize.

Library
Now go to You Quote It, You Note It! and complete a quick tutorial on plagiarism and citation. Choose Dylan or Maiko as your players for MLA style examples. Note: the tutorial includes audio, so you may want to use headphones.

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Copyright
Copyright laws protect authors, publishers, musicians, artists and others from having their work stolen or misused. Copying a song, a book or an image without permission is not legal. However, like many laws, there are gray areas, which brings us to fair use.

Fair Use
Fair use exceptions were designed with education in mind. Fair use says that as a researcher, you can copy sources for your own use when used for educational purposes--with limits.

Examples of Fair Use

• A single photocopy of part of a copyrighted work, such as an article from a journal, would probably be considered fair use.
• Copying a single chapter from a book would also probably be considered fair use.

Examples that are not Fair Use

• Copying all the assignments from a book recommended for purchase by the instructor.
• Making multiple copies of articles or book chapters for distribution to classmates.
• Copying material from workbooks, would most likely not be considered fair use.

What about online resources?
You can copy full text articles from the library's databases for your own use. Copying them and distributing them to other people via email, blog or print probably would not be considered fair use. In NetLibrary you can copy a limited number of pages from an eBook--the site actually cuts you off after about a chapter's worth.

Want more? Go to COM Library's Copyright page.

And one more thing...
This is general information and does not constitute legal advice.