Four Steps to Successful Research Methodology

1. Mastering Your Research:
4 Steps to Successful Research

2. Doing Research
When presented with a research task, everybody–including
professors, doctors, lawyers and undergraduates-go
through four stages:
1. Getting your Assignment
2. Selecting your Topic
3. Finding your Focus
4. Digging In

3. 1. Getting Your Assignment

4. Getting Your Assignment
When given a new research assignment, it is normal to
feel uncertain about what is expected of you, or what you
should be writing or presenting about.
A. True
B. False

5. Getting Your Assignment
When given a new research assignment, it is normal to
feel uncertain about what is expected of you, or what you
should be writing or presenting about.
A. True
B. False

6. Getting Your Assignment
If a research assignment isn’t clear or doesn’t make
sense it’s the professor’s fault, in which case you should
research and write about whatever you want.
A. True
B. False

7. Getting Your Assignment
If a research assignment isn’t clear or doesn’t make
sense it’s the professor’s fault, in which case you should
research and write about whatever you want
A. True
B. False

8. Getting Your Assignment
Embrace your uncertainty
Seek clarification early and often
Reflect on the purpose of the assignment
Don’t settle on the topic right way
Take time to familiarize yourself with a
number of possible general topics first.

9. Getting Your Assignment
Resist relying on the Internet:
Looking for a quick answer online is a cop-out.
You are defeating the purpose of the assignment.
By relying on the Internet, you are more likely to
plagiarize and Less likely to learn anything.
Initially, it can be hard to tell between good and
bad information online.

10. 2. Selecting your General Topic

11. Selecting your Topic
When selecting a topic for your research, which of the
following should you keep in mind?
A. The topic is appropriate to the assignment
B. The interests you.
C. You can find information about the topic.
D. You can get the research done in time.
E. All of the above

12. Selecting your Topic
When selecting a topic for your research, which of the
following should you keep in mind?
A. The topic is appropriate to the assignment
B. The interests you.
C. You can find information about the topic.
D. You can get the research done in time.
E. All of the above

13. Selecting your Topic
You have just been asked to write a research paper
about Wall Street stock market crash. Where is the best
place to begin your research?
A. The Internet
B. A newspaper article.
C. A magazine article.
D. An encyclopedia

14. Selecting your Topic
You have just been asked to write a research paper
about Wall Street stock market crash. Where is the best
place to begin your research?
A. The Internet
B. A newspaper article.
C. A magazine article.
D. An encyclopedia

15. Selecting your Topic
You have just been asked to write a paper about the
recent Uber scandal. Where is the best place to begin
your research?
A. A news website
B. A newspaper article.
C. A book.
D. A or B

16. Selecting your Topic
You have just been asked to write a paper about the
recent Uber scandal. Where is the best place to begin
your research?
A. A news website
B. A newspaper article.
C. A book.
D. A or B

17. Selecting your Topic
For your research paper, which likely is the best
resource for finding a definition of “tort”?
A. The Internet.
B. A general encyclopedia.
C. A subject encyclopedia.
D. All of the above

18. Selecting your Topic
For your research paper, which likely is the best
resource for finding a definition of “tort”?
A. The Internet.
B. A general encyclopedia.
C. A subject encyclopedia.
D. All of the above

19. Selecting your Topic
Familiarize yourself with major terminology,
concepts and themes of your topic.
Don’t assume that you know and don’t ever
consider writing about something you haven’t
researched.

20. 3. Finding your Focus

21. Finding your Focus
Congratulations, you have decided on your topic, “21st Financial
Crisis ”. Unfortunately, your enthusiasm is short-lived because
you cannot write about the entire movement in one paper. What
do you do next?
A. Panic, go online and copy a website
B. Reflect on your initial research and select one or two angles
that can take on the topic.
C. Look for more detailed sources on your topic that might
reveal an interesting angle.
D. B and C

22. Finding your Focus
Congratulations, you have decided on your topic, “21st Financial
Crisis ”. Unfortunately, your enthusiasm is short-lived because
you cannot write about the entire movement in one paper. What
do you do next?
A. Panic, go online and copy a website
B. Reflect on your initial research and select one or two angles
that can take on the topic.
C. Look for more detailed sources on your topic that might
reveal an interesting angle.
D. B and C

23. Finding your Focus
When looking for something to focus on within your
topic, which of the following is a good strategy?
A. Look for an interesting issue, person or
event around which you can frame your
discussion.
B. Look for disagreements or debates about your
topic.
C. Narrow your research down to one central idea or
concept and investigate it in great detail.
D. All of the above

24. Finding your Focus
When looking for something to focus on within your
topic, which of the following is a good strategy?
A. Look for an interesting issue, person or
event around which you can frame your
discussion.
B. Look for disagreements or debates about your
topic.
C. Narrow your research down to one central idea or
concept and investigate it in great detail.
D. All of the above

25. Finding your Focus
Searching Databases:
Don’t type out your whole question
Focus on keywords: nouns and adjectives
Use “quotation marks” for exact phrases
Use AND & OR to control results
Don’t give up too quickly – try lost of different
searches!

26. Find your Focus
 Start with what you know and look for an angle:
 People, places and events
 Central ideas or concepts
 Central debates
 Role of /impact on different people or groups
 Expand what you know by looking at more detailed sources:
 What is important? What isn’t?
 What additional ideas or issues are raised
 Who or what is being argued for or against?

27. 4. Digging In

28. Digging In
When digging into research, it usually is a good idea to look for
several different kinds of resources, including newspapers,
magazines, scholarly journals, books and websites.
A. True
B. False

29. Digging In
When digging into research, it usually is a good idea to look for
several different kinds of resources, including newspapers,
magazines, scholarly journals, books and websites.
A. True
B. False

30. Digging In
When looking for website, which is least important for
deciding whether a website is appropriate for your
assignment?
A. The information on the website has a
trustworthy and identifiable author.
B. The website is published by a trustworthy
and identifiable organization
C. The website is popular and showed up first in
a Google search.
D. The information on the website has recently been
updated and includes a date.

31. Digging In
When looking for website, which is least important for
deciding whether a website is appropriate for your
assignment?
A. The information on the website has a
trustworthy and identifiable author.
B. The website is published by a trustworthy
and identifiable organization
C. The website is popular and showed up first in
a Google search.
D. The information on the website has recently been
updated and includes a date.