4. RESEARCH PROCESS
1. Develop your research question
2. Find Background information & keywords
3. Determine the best place to start your search
4. Begin your research
5. Reevaluate your search
6. Evaluate your search results
7. Produce your final product
5. RESEARCH PROCESS : STEP 1
Developing your research topic:
Consider your instructors directions
If the topic is open:
Choose a topic that interests you
Be creative
Not too board
6. RESEARCH PROCESS : STEP 1
Narrowing down your topic
Limit the time period
Focus on a geographic location (country, region, state, etc.)
Subject specific context (artistic period, specialty area, etc.)
7. RESEARCH PROCESS : STEP 1 EXAMPLE
War & Film
History: Depictions of war in film over time
Cultural Context: Depictions of African American soldiers in film
Geographic/History: Czech films about the period of Soviet
control
How do the depictions of soviet control differ in films produced by
Czech filmmakers versus those of American filmmakers?
9. RESEARCH PROCESS : STEP 2
Background
Information
Keywords
How do the depictions of soviet
control differ in films produced by
Czech filmmakers versus those of
American filmmakers?
Film Czech Soviet
Movie Czech
Republic
Russian
Motion
Picture
Czechoslovaki
a
Communist
Cinema Eastern Block Totalitarian
11. RESEARCH PROCESS: STEP 3 & 4
Video created by Kimbel Library. https://vimeo.com/13186317
12. RESEARCH PROCESS : STEP 3 & 4
Library Website Research Databases Online Sources
Library Books Scholarly Articles Webpages
Periodicals eBooks Articles
Research Assistance Steaming Video Industry Information
Use your keywords to search in appropriate places.
Combine keywords with Boolean Operators.
13. RESEARCH PROCESS: STEP 5
Not finding what you need? Reevaluate your
search!
Need more help? Set up an appointment with one
of the campus librarians!
14. RESEARCH PROCESS: STEP 6
Evaluating Information: Why it matters!
Good resources make your paper better
Ensures accurate information
Helps you to research more efficiently
Increase YOUR credibility
Research Process
Choosing a Topic
Crafting Keywords
Evaluating Resources
Academic Sources
Online Resources
Researching for Art 445
Databases
Online Resources
If you can state your topic in 2-3 words, it is probably too broad.
Currency: When was the page created? As best as you can tell, is the information up to date? Are links from this site to other sites still active?
Authority: Who is the author for each page? Are the credentials of the author listed? What is the domain name for the site and why is that relevant?
Bias: What is the purpose of the site? Is there a position/opinion presented? What is it? Does this site link to any other sites? If yes, which ones?
Level: Is this site popular or scholarly in nature? Do you feel comfortable citing this page in a college-level assignment? Why or why not?
Explore: Verify the information from the page in one additional source and list the source. Can you find reviews, criticism, or a ranking for this site? Does this site lead you to any other good sites? If so, list one or two.