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SOCSC 105 - Global Women's Studies - Mo

Learn to research with ease using credible, college-appropriate resources to frame, guide, and inform your projects in Eva Mo's SOCSCI 105

Research Process

You don’t need to spend a lot of time learning how to find information

After all, many of us are online every day retrieving information: reconnecting with people on Facebook, finding open classes through PiratesNet, downloading driving directions, weather forecasts, song lyrics, recipes, and other pieces of information that get us through the day.

Finding information is not research

Research requires that you find information, of course, but it also demands much more from you. The MLA Handbook defines research in terms of exploring ideasprobing issuessolving problems, or making arguments relating to existing ideas.  Yes, students need information to complete these tasks, but the depth and breadth of information needed moves far beyond  a single source.  

Within the research process students also need considerable time to read the information they find, time to reflect on new information in terms of what they already know and what they are learning, and time to write multiple drafts of speeches/papers so that they can present your research as clearly, logically, and successfully as possible.

Overview of research process