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The Research Process A Step-by-Step Guide to the Academic Research Process
Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University
Created by Jill Borin, updated 2/2015
Before You Begin…
For Help:
Ask a Librarian for any help with your research. Email the Reference Desk at [email protected] Call the Reference Desk at (610) 499-4073. Come to the Reference Desk for personal instruction.
Reference Desk Hours:Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am –10:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pmSaturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pmSunday: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Research Process
Step 1: Identify and Develop your topic
Step 2: Search the Online Catalog (WebPAC) to Find Books and other Resources on Your Topic
Step 3: Search Online Subscription Databases to Find Journal Articles and Other Scholarly Materials on your Topic.
Step 4: Find Full Text Journal Articles
Step 5: Find and Evaluate Internet Resources on Your Topic
Step 6: Cite Your Sources
Step 1: Identify and Develop your Topic. Use books, journal articles and websites from your
discipline to find interesting and relevant concepts that you want to explore further.
Talk to professors to discover current issues and new research in your field.
Consider the multiple perspectives on your topic.
Additional Resources:
Use this worksheet to develop your search strategy: Keyword Generation Worksheet
Click on this link to identify the types of sources available for research: Types of Sources
Choosing a Topic
Follow these steps when selecting a topic: From the Library's Homepage select a database in your subject area or
WebPAC (Library’s Online Catalog).
Examine the titles under a broad subject area in a database or in the catalog.
Single out significant or critical issues within the larger subject.
Do a brief literature search to determine if there is enough information on your chosen topic.
If there is enough information, then you are ready to start serious searching. If there is not enough information on your topic, try picking out another significant or critical issue from the larger subject.
A topic should not be too broad nor should it consist of too many issues to be addressed effectively in one term paper.
Choosing a Topic - Example
Example: “Families”
At the beginning stage of your research you need to determine what aspects of "families" you want to include and what aspects you want to exclude.
A search for books on "families" in WebPac (Library's Online Catalog), shows more than 43 related topics, including: -Brothers and sisters, - Communication in families, -Single-parent families and -Dual-career families.
A search for articles on the topic "families” in Academic Search Premier, a general database, gives more than 23,000 references to scholarly journal articles and more than 15,000 references to newspaper articles with more than 100 related topics.
Developing a Search Strategy
Keywords:college students risky behavior
dangerous hazardous grievous grave
jeopardizing menacing parlous unsafe
perilous threatening unhealthy serious
2. Choose examples of specific risky behaviors: high-risk drinking substance abuse sexual risk-taking
3. Think about different ways to define risky. risk-taking risk-taking behavior
4. Obtaining a variety of terms allows you to develop a more sophisticated search strategy.
A search strategy consists of the keywords in your topic sentence.
Topic Sentence: College students engage in risky behavior.
1. Identify synonyms to help you obtain more results. Merriam Webster’sThesaurus Online http://merriam-webster.com offers these synonyms for risky.
Web PAC Search Screen
Step 2: Search the Online Catalog (WebPAC)
How to Find Books
WebPAC, the Widener University Online Library Catalog, lists the books, serials and audiovisual materials that library owns. You can access WebPAC
from any computer with internet access.
From Widener University’s Homepage select Wolfgram Memorial Library.
Choose Find Books and then select WebPAC (Widener Library Catalog).
Additional Resources: Finding Ebooks Finding Journal Titles in WebPAC Finding Reference Ebooks Finding Videos/DVDs Interlibrary Loan - How to
How to Find Books: Results ScreensWebPAC ( Widener’s Online Catalog)
Search for College Students and Risk:
Use the call number to locate the book in the library.
Not all items found in WebPAC are located in the Wolfgram Memorial Library.
M = Main Campus (Wolfgram Memorial Library) H = Legal Information Center in Harrisburg D = Legal Information Center in Delaware
Reading Call Numbers
Books are shelved in alphabetical order by the letter(s) on the top line:
...and then in numerical order by the second line:
Books are shelved according to the Library of Congress Classification System.
The third and following lines in the call number are arranged in alphabetical and decimal order. There is a decimal point placed at the beginning of the third line:
Some call numbers may even have a fourth line. This may be the year the book was published, a copy number, or a volume number:
The books that you can check out of the library are circulating books, all located on the third level. The library also has books that are in special collections or other locations. Some are listed below:
Reference Books (REF) are books that you may use in the library, but cannot be checked out. Reference books are located on the main level of the library. They are indicated an REF before the LC call number.
Archives (ARCHIVES) are materials that are stored in the Archives Storage Areas on the third and ground levels. They include yearbooks, course catalogs, newspapers, and other items of historical value that pertain to Widener’s History.
The Curriculum Collection (CURR) consists of children's literature and classroom materials. It is located on the fourth level.
Step 3: Search Online Subscription Databases
Use Wolfgram Library's Subscription Online Databases to find scholarly articles about your topic. You can also obtain access to dissertations, book titles and Newspaper Articles from the databases.
Click on Databases Listed by Title to obtain a list of the databases that you can access at Wolfgram Memorial Library.
Click here for instructions on accessing the databases from off-campus.
Click on Research by Subject Area and choose your discipline to find the most useful databases for your field.
Database Subjects Covered
Academic Search Premier Interdisciplinary
Compendex Engineering
ERIC Education
Humanities International Complete
Humanities
JSTOR Interdisciplinary
Medline Medicine & Health
SocINDEX with Full Text Sociology, Social Work
Selected Widener Databases: Click on the database name for step-by-step instructions for searching.
Additional Resources: Finding Book Reviews in Academic Search Premier Finding Book Reviews in ProQuest Central Finding Journal Titles in the A-Z Electronic Title List Interlibrary Loan - How To Making Google Scholar Work for You Preferred Terms for Life Stages/Age Groups
How to Search Databases
1. From the Library’s Homepage, select Find Articles.
2. Select Databases Listed by Title, an alphabetical list of the databases accessible at the Wolfgram Memorial Library.
3. Choose A and then Academic Search Premier.
Academic Search Premier: The main module of the EbscoHost databases. Designed specifically for academic institutions. The world's largest scholarly, multi-disciplinary full text database. Offers indexing and abstracts for more than 8,200 journals.
4. Always follow a step-by-step process when searching a database.
5. Obtaining the correct terminology for a search is essential.
6. The only way to master using this database, or any database, is through practice.
Example: Searching Academic Search Premier
Databases: Search Screen Academic Search Premier
Search for college students and risky behavior, limiting to Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals.
Databases: Results Screen Academic Search Premier
Databases: Searching with Limits - ResultsAcademic Search Premier
Limit your search to a specific high risk behavior, this will allow you to retrieve more relevant results. Search for college students and high-risk drinking, limiting to Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals.
Databases: Searching with Limits – Full ResultAcademic Search Premier
Choose: Heavy Drinking in College Students: Who is at Risk and What is being Done About it?
Databases: PDF Full Text FormatAcademic Search Premier
Click on the PDF Full Text icon to obtain the full text for this article
Evaluating Journal ArticlesScholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journal Articles
Non-Scholarly (Popular) Journal Articles
Definition Scholarly articles are "peer-reviewed" by other experts in the field. Are also sometimes called "refereed articles."
Non-scholarly articles are meant to inform or entertain readers rather than provide in-depth analysis.
Content Content of articles usually reports on original research or experimentation.
Content of articles often reports on other research or events rather than presenting original research.
Bibliography Articles usually list references in footnotes or endnotes.
Articles are seldom footnoted and the source of information is seldom given.
Illustrations Illustrations, if any, are usually graphs and charts that support the subject content.
Often are illustrated with glossy or color photographs.
Authors Articles are written by identified experts in the field who are often affiliated with a named university or research center.
Author's name is often not supplied. Authors are usually on the staff of the magazine or are freelance writers.
Length/Depth Articles are generally long and contain in-depth coverage of the topic.
Articles are often short and intended to provide an overview of a topic rather than an in-depth analysis.
Advertising Contain few if any advertisements. Usually contain many advertisements.
Publisher Frequently, articles are published by a scholarly professional organization (e.g. American Chemical Society, American Psychological Association).
Publishers are marketing to the general public and usually make their publications available in stores and newsstands.
Language Authors write in the language of their discipline
Articles are directed towards the general public and written in non-technical language.
Step 4: Find Full Text Journal Articles Finding the full text of a journal article is a four (4) step process:
Step 1 - Find the Full Text in the Article's Citation
Step 2- Find the Full Text through LinkSource
Step 3- Find the Full Text in the Library Holdings
Step 4- Use ILLiad to Order the Full Text
Additional Resources:
Finding Journal Titles in WebPAC Finding Journal Titles in the A-Z Electronic Title List Interlibrary Loan - How To
1. Find the Full Text in the Citation Look for the Full Text link under the citation:
2: Find the Full Text through LinkSource If you do not see a Full Text Link under the article’s citation, click on Check
LinkSource for More Information. LinkSource will search all of the library’s databases to see if your article is
available in Full Text from another online resource. If LinkSource finds your article in Full Text you will get a list that looks like
this:
3. Find the Full Text in the Library Holdings
If LinkSource did find the Full Text of your article, Clink on the Display Library Holdings for this Journal Title link to see if the library owns the journal.
Write down the Call Number from the catalog, go to the shelf, and photocopy your article.
If the library does not own your journal, you will see this message:
4. Use ILLiad to Order the Full Text If you still want the Full Text of your article, you will have to request it from
another library using ILLiad, the library’s Interlibrary Loan system.
Return to your LinkSource window and click on Request This Item Through Interlibrary Loan:
You will be taken to the ILLiad Log-on Screen. Once you enter your ILLiad username and password all of the fields in the request form will be filled in for you automatically.
Once you have logged on and submitted the Interlibrary Loan Request, you will be notified via email when your article is available.
Step 5: Find and Evaluate Internet Resources
Wolfgram Library Video TutorialsClick on the link to view the tutorial on YouTube: Evaluating Web Pages
Evaluating Blogs for Scholarly Research
Using Wikipedia for Scholarly Research
Subject Guides Featuring Scholarly Websites
American History Management Information Systems
Anthropology Math Education
Art Music
Biology Nursing
Business Administration Philosophy/Religion
Clinical Psychology Physical Therapy
Communication Studies Poetry
Criminal Justice Political Science
Economics Psychology
Education Science
Hospitality Social Work
Human Sexuality Sociology
International Relations Women's /Gender Studies
Literature World History
Web Site Evaluation Criteria - Characteristics
Criteria Characteristics
Authority An authoritative source makes clear:Who is responsible for page contentAuthor’s qualifications
Accuracy An accurate site presents information that:Is based upon verifiable factLists sources for presented informationLinks to reputable outside sources
Currency A Web site with currency includes: Date the page was written, placed on the Web and last revised Timely information, when appropriateNo dead links
Objectivity An objective source: Presents information with a minimum of biasIs fair, balanced and reasonable
Web Site Evaluation Criteria - Problems
Criteria Problems
Authority Can be difficult to determine authorshipAuthor’s qualifications are frequently absentPublisher responsibility often not indicatedContact information may not be listed
Accuracy Almost anyone can publish on the WebMany Web resources not verified by editors May include lies, distortions, myths, dubious data and stereotypesMay not provide links to reputable outside sources
Currency Site may not display datesPage may present stale informationSite may include dead links
Objectivity Site pretends to be objective, but only presents one point of viewMay not differentiate advocacy vs. factMay provide biased information in order to promote a product
Blogs Evaluation Questions
Criteria Questions
Authority Does the blog include upfront bio, credentials and contact info?Are posts signed by an identifiable author?Does the blogger have expertise or influence on the blog’s topic?
Accuracy Does the blog include links to reputable outside sources?Does the blog include a blogroll of credible blogs?
Currency Is this blog alive, containing current and regular posts?Does the blog provide information about the timing of the blog in relation to its content?
Objectivity Is the blog upfront about its bias?Is the blog author tolerant of opposing point of view?Does the blog contain advertisements?
Additional Criteria for Evaluating Blogs: Language - How sophisticated is the language and the spelling? Appearance - Does the blog have a professional appearance? Usefulness - Is this blog useful for academic research? Influence - What is the influence of this blog on debate about the topic?
What Web Search Engines Won't Find
The Public Web, Available for Free The Private Web, Available for a Fee
Anyone Can Publish Anything Provides Value Added Information
Information May Be:UnfilteredRawUntamed
Information Has Been:FilteredEditedSelected
Information May Be Of Widely Differing Reliability, Examples: The Web sites of scholarlyprofessional societies, whoseinformation is very likely to betrustworthy.The Web sites of Aunt Sally or UncleCharlie, sites that may or may not havereliable, trustworthy information on them.Web sites from advocacy organizationsor commercial sites.
Much Of The Information Can Be Identified As Being Reliable, Examples:The online version of publications such as the Journal of the American Medical Association or the Wall Street Journal, that individuals can subscribe to.Databases subscribed to by Widener University such as Academic Search Premier, ERIC or JSTOR that lead to a vast collection of Scholarly Literature. Electronic Journals subscribed to by Widener University.
The University of Texas libraries provided the inspiration for this page.
Step 6: Cite your SourcesWolfgram Memorial Library has copies of all style manuals behind the referencedesk. These print sources include accurate and up-to-date examples for all types of sources that you may encounter.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th
Edition. (Call Number: DESK REF BF76.7.P83 2010)
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th Edition. (Call Number: DESK REF LB2369.G53 2009)
Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition. (Call Number: DESK REF Z253 .C534 2010)
Turabian, Kate. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, andDissertations, 7th Edition.(Call Number: DESK REF LB2369.T8 2007)
For information on how to prepare an annotated bibliography, go to:http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm
APA Citation Style - http://www.apastyle.org/manual/index.aspx
APA reference with the digital object identifier (DOI):
APA reference without the DOI:
o Where to find the DOI: Databases list the DOI on the brief and full citations. It also appears on the 1st page of most PDF documents.
o *Persistent URL: If the reference does not include a DOI and you retrieved the article online, include the article's persistent URL
APA Style Resources
APA Style Take Home Guide
APA Citation Style Video
APA Citation Style Resources
Citing Government Documents and Information in APA Style
DOI and URL Flow Chart
MLA Citation Style - http://www.mla.org/
MLA reference
MLA Style Resources
MLA Style Take Home Guide
Chicago Manual of Style - http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org
Chicago Manual of Style reference with the digital object identifier (DOI):
Chicago Manual of Style reference without the DOI:
o Persistent URL: If the reference does not include a DOI and you retrieved the article online, include the article's persistent URL
o Where to find the DOI: Databases list the DOI on the brief and full citations. It also appears on the 1st page of most PDF documents.
To obtain additional help:
Ask a Librarian for any help with your research. Email the Reference Desk at: [email protected] Call the Reference Desk at (610) 499-4073. Come to the Reference Desk for personal instruction.
Reference Desk Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pmFriday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pmSunday: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
