Research Strategies
Need to write a paper or work on a capstone project? Whether you’re new to research or just need a refresher, we’ve got you covered!
Research can feel overwhelming, but our guides and tools are here to help. If you get stuck, reach out! Book an appointment with your subject librarian, use our online chat, or the Ask the Library form.
1. Plan your research
Start with choosing your topic, learning more about it, and narrowing your focus into a topic statement or thesis. Once you have your topic statement use it to select keywords to build your search.
Learn more:
- The Research Process: From Topic to Search
- Developing Effective Search Strategies (Worksheet)
- Annotated Bibliographies
- Research Data Management at TRU
- Glossary of Library Terms
- Attend a Library Workshop
- Library Research 101: Research at a Distance Guide
- Distance, Regional, and Open Learning Library Services
2. Finding resources
Next, plan your search for articles, books, and online materials. Remember, searching is iterative—you might need to try different keywords and sources to find the best results.
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3. Evaluate your sources
Once you have selected sources that match your information needs and assignment criteria, it’s time to evaluate them. Look at every information source you consult with a critical eye. Consider the following:
- Currency: Is the information recent or has it been updated?
- Relevancy: Why are you choosing this information over other resources? What is the scope of this source? Is it general or more specific?
- Accuracy: Is the information correct? Can it be verified? Is it complete? Is it cited? Is it peer-reviewed?
- Authority: Is the author, creator, qualifications, or publisher clearly stated? What is their reputation? What type of credentials do they have, and are they appropriate to your topic?
- Purpose: Who is the intended audience? Is the site trying to sell anything? What biases does the author have and how do they affect the resource?
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4. Writing and citing
Now let’s put it all together. The Writing Centre is the best place to get help on all things writing. Book an appointment and receive feedback from a tutor at any stage of the writing process.
Citing your sources is of the utmost importance. Citing your sources helps avoid plagiarism and strengthens your argument by showing you’ve done your research. It also enriches the scholarly conversation by guiding readers to related texts.
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5. Publishing and presenting
Are you considering publishing or presenting your research? There’s a lot the library can do to support you with this, as well! Learn more about your rights as an author, publishing, creating an academic poster, and more.
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