How to Start Research

Dear Students,

Thank you for your active participation in classroom discussions regarding your research topics. First, please formulate titles of your topics clearly and logically; then write an outline of your research and prepare to speak about it in class on Monday.

Here are a few useful ideas what you should do:

Go Step-by-Step

Step 1: Formulate your research topic. Identify the keywords in your topic. Make your topic specific (not general or abstract).

Step 2: Try to find out everything whatever has been done in the field of your research.

Step 3: Look up your keywords in directories, read articles in these directories, study websites and set the background for your research. 

Step 4: Use online directories by applying keyword searching to find books and journals. Also, use subject searching for wide-ranging subjects. 

Step 5: Use indexes to find articles, citations to articles or abstracts. The indexes and abstracts can be either in print or in computer-based formats. You can search articles by the author, title, or keyword.  

Step 6: Accumulate citations and information about the sources for referencing purposes. You will find useful research and citation resources if you click HERE...

Step 7: Type your research paper title into Google Search Box and study some similar research papers (but do not plagiarize!). You will see how a research paper looks like.

Step 8: Select, analyze and evaluate information critically. Look through online journals,online libraries, online directories and major internet search engines. Also, try to find useful information in blogs, especially in Google blog search engine.

Step 9: Cite your sources. Use a standard format (APA).

Step 10: Use Directories to find reliable information. 



Basic Format of the Research Paper                                         


Research Paper Title (must be written on the front page - separate page): 

…………………………………………………………………………………

Table of Content (must be written on one separate page)


Introduction (less than one page; must be written on a separate page)

In the Introduction you write:

Research Question: ………………………………………………………………

Research Objectives:

1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. ………………………………………………………………………………………………..


Chapter 1 (Title) ………………………………………………………………


Chapter 2 (Title) ………………………………………………………………


Conclusion (less than one page; must be written on a separate page).


References (in APA style; on a separate page)


Appendix 1 (tables, charts, graphs, etc.)


Appendix 2 (Academic Honesty Statement; must be signed by the students who wrote the research paper).


Here are a few more ideas and tips

In the Introduction you should write the following:

General information about the research topic (in two or three sentences)
Why you decided to choose this topic (in one or two sentences)
Basic research question (in one sentence)
Explain why the research question is important (in about two sentences)
What you expected to find out in your research (your hypothesis)
Research objectives (two or three objectives)
Describe briefly the general structure of your research paper, e.g. ‘’our research paper consists of introduction, two chapters, conclusions, references and appendices.”

Chapter 1 should address the objective 1.
Chapter 2 should address the objective 2.

Conclusion must be clear and logical. For example, you briefly explain what was found out (what you discovered); then you make clear statements, such as
The following conclusions were made:
1. 
2. 
3. 
4.

The last paragraph (two or three sentences) summarizes your research. 

References should be written in APA style, on a separate page.