LSU Libraries - The Research Process

CONTENTS:
Introduction
Clearly define your topic
Collect/find information
Evaluate the information you find
Use and/or do something with the information
Use the information ethically and legally

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1. Clearly define your topic or "information need"

What is your "information need?" What exactly do you want to know? Are you researching your own personal interests or do you need information for a class or assignment?

If you have been given an assignment to write a research paper for a class, sometimes the hardest thing is coming up with a topic to research. If you are having a hard time:

Try to think of a topic you are interested in. If you are curious about your topic, you'll do a better job than you will if you are bored with your topic.
Brainstorm! Just start writing whatever comes to mind. Eventually you might just come up with something that you'll be interested in researching.
Scan newspapers or watch the news. Watch for topics that interests you.
Look at the Ready Reference Position Papers web page. It has resources collected to help students look for topics for papers.

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Last Updated: 2008