How Do I Plan A Research Project?

Before you start looking for information you need to answer the following questions:

 

1: What is my research assignment?

 

►►Read your assignment handout carefully to find out what your teacher expects: final product, length of paper, required sources, type of notes etc.

 

 

2: What is my research topic?

 

  • If your teacher has provided topics choose a topic from a list provided by the teacher
  • If you have to pick your own topic  consider the following tips for choosing a topic:

►Browse through magazines or newspapers

►Browse in your textbook

►Narrow topic to fit the assignment parameters

 

Example:

 

You need a current events topic:

·         Browse through a Time or Newsweek magazine

·         Check a news website like CNN

 

 

You have to write a 5 page research paper:

 

“Civil War” is too broad, narrow to “Civil War Spies”

 

 

3: What do I know about my topic?

 

Determine what you know, think you know, and what you don’t know about your topic; and then get some basic information:

►Read an encyclopedia article (print or online)

►Apply the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, and why

 

Example:

You have picked “Tienanmen Square Incident” from a list of topics and you have no idea what this is. Look up your topic in an encyclopedia (online or print) to find the 5 Ws:

 

Who:             Chinese students

What:             peaceful protest crushed by the government

Where:           Beijing, China

When:            Uprising was in 1989

Why:               People wanted more democracy

 

Make sure you understand the key words and concepts

►use a dictionary (print or online) to find definitions

 

 

4: What is my thesis statement?

 

Develop a thesis statement

If a thesis statement is not required you should still write questions to focus your research.  

 

Example:

Your topic is “Herbal Medicine”. You could ask questions like these:

 

·         How do we know that herbal medicines really work?

·         Is it safe to self-medicate with herbal medicines?

·         Who supervises the producers of herbal medicines?

·          What is the history of herbal medicine?

 

 

5: What sources can I use to research this topic?

 

  • Consider all possible option
  • Then choose the best sources for your topic and research assignment.

 

Radial Diagram

 

 

 

Last updated: January 22, 2007