Holt Library: Research and How to Do It: About research: Step by step

Research Process Flow Chart

Getting Started

How to search Points of View database: BROWSING BY CATEGORY
Categories may make it easier to choose a topic. Some categories are Earth & Environment, Foreign Policy, Government Funding, Crime & Punishment, Family Issues, and Citizen's Rights.
Points of View database: Basic searching
If you already have a topic, this document will help you search the entire database.

Topics we can choose are often decided by the assignment itself. But, if you find a topic that you like, your research will be easier and you will find the work more rewarding.

If you have to decide on a topic, try one of these databases by clicking on each link. These databases have background information on topics, timelines, pro/con arguments, and they will suggest other resources once you have settled on a topic.

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Reports on issues shaping our world, with in-depth coverage of political and social issues, such as health, education, the environment, technology, and the U.S. economy.
SIRS Issues Researcher This link opens in a new window
Research the pros and cons of current issues and enduring social issues through full-text articles, multimedia, primary sources, government documents and reference materials.
Proquest Research Library This link opens in a new window
Search from a highly-respected, diversified mix of scholarly journals, professional and trade publications, and magazines covering over 150 subjects and topics.

You may find a topic interesting enough to write about. Maybe you only know what you've heard on the news or from social media.

Even for subjects you think you know a lot about, it is vital that you get some background information.

Encyclopedias and reference works can help. You can use them to discover:

definitions
general trends
history of a topic
subtopics
other interesting items about the subject that you might not have known

Once you gather background information, you can use it to begin finding more specific data. Keep your mind open during this process. You can discover what you REALLY think about a topic!

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Premier virtual reference collection including encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, images, audio files, and videos in a wide expanse of subject areas. Get ideas for research papers!
ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
General reference database for over 175 subjects from magazines, journals and newspapers, including peer-reviewed and scholarly works.

Now you are ready to begin researching with your specific topic and goal in mind.

You mayhave:

too much information to sort through
not enough information to use
information that is not relevant or outside the scope of your topic

Try out the research you've found. Do you need to change your topic? If you haven't found enough resources or your research has not clearly supported your topic, you may need to narrow or broaden your topic. For example, climate change is a good topic, but it is also a huge topic. You may want to narrow this search and limit it to climate change in your own state or region.

How to write a thesis statement
The thesis statement is the cornerstone of your paper.
Purdue University, Online Writing Lab (OWL: How to write thesis statements
Writing Center, University of NC at Chapel Hill
This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

How to take good notes in class and in research
It's true--there are effective ways to take notes!

How to avoid plagiarism (a guide for students)

The research process

6-step process for writing a research paper
This guide breaks down the process from choosing a topic to conducting research to writing your final paper.

Student guide: persuasion
Learn how to effectively argue your position in speeches, research papers, and debates.

Cite sources: how to
Give credit to the sources you found.

How to create a Works Cited page
Properly compile the list of all of the sources you used in your paper.

Research and how to do it

Research Companion This link opens in a new window
Video tutorial: Learn how to create a research project.

Finishing touches

LAC (Learning Assistance Center) at SCC: free tutoring

Each SCC student is given 240 minutes of online tutoring per semester. Highly trained and qualified tutors help students to build skills, understand new material, and develop confidence as they pursue educational success.

Log in to your MySCC account. Access and use this free service by clicking on the “Tutoring” button in any Blackboard or Moodle course.

Writing Across the Curriculum at SCC: Student Resources
It’s a fact of life: college students write. No matter what year you graduated from high school, you’ll find that writing in college is a little different than writing in high school.
SCC Style Guide for Writing
The purpose of this style guide is to offer students and faculty members a place to easily access information about writing within an academic setting.

Research databases

Research Database, or Google?

Research databases are more focused than what you can find with an Internet search engine, and include the full text of many magazines, journals, and newspapers that are otherwise only available through paid subscriptions.
Google searches result in popular sources that are not necessarily peer-reviewed or scholarly (ie., not always suitable as a source for research).

What does "peer reviewed" mean?

A peer-reviewed journal is one that uses a system of reviewers who are the professional equals of the principal author of an article or book. Many academic journals utilize the peer review process. Several databases carry peer-reviewed journals and allow you to limit your search to peer-reviewed titles.

"Scholarly":

Scholarly sources are written by subject experts for an audience of experts. They are not always peer-reviewed, but they are considered more credible than sources written by non-experts.

Databases provide:

citations
easy ways to save, print, or email items and links
test practice, learning opportunities, and study techniques
hints on items for further study or related topics

Request Research Appointment

Get Research Assistance

Need help knowing where to start your library research?

ask a Librarian for help at the Holt Library desk or
contact us to set up a one-on-one appointment.

Email: library@southwesterncc.edu
Phone: 828.339.4288

APA Style

APA (American Psychological Association) Style Guides and Sample Papers
See how it's done in sample papers using APA style of citation.