In order to improve the quality of systematic researches, various tools have been developed by well-known scientific institutes sporadically. Dr. Nader Ale Ebrahim has collected these sporadic tools under one roof in a collection named “Research Tool Box”. The toolbox contains over 720 tools so far, classified in 4 main categories: Literature-review, Writing a paper, Targeting suitable journals, as well as Enhancing visibility and impact factor.
Plan S for shock: the open access initiative that changed the face of global research.
This is the story of open access publishing – why it matters now, and for the future.
In a world where information has never been so accessible, and answers
are available at the touch of a fingertip, we are hungrier for the facts
than ever before – something the Covid-19 crisis has brought to light.
And yet, paywalls put in place by multi-billion dollar publishing houses
are still preventing millions from accessing quality, scientific
knowledge – and public trust in science is under threat.
On 4
September 2018, a bold new initiative known as ‘Plan S’ was unveiled,
kickstarting a world-wide shift in attitudes towards open access
research. For the first time, funding agencies across continents joined
forces to impose new rules on the publication of research, with the aim
of one day making all research free and available to all.
What
followed was a debate of global proportions, as stakeholders asked: Who
has the right to access publicly-funded research? Will it ever be
possible to enforce change on a multi-billion dollar market dominated by
five major players?
Here, the scheme’s founder, Robert-Jan
Smits, makes a compelling case for Open Access, and reveals for the
first time how he set about turning his controversial plan into reality –
as well as some of the challenges faced along the way. In telling his
story, Smits argues that the Covid-19 crisis has exposed the traditional
academic publishing system as unsustainable.
The ability to effectively research is a skill that every student
needs to succeed in their educational career. However, most people don’t
really understand what research entails. Does it mean spending hours at
your university library exploring archives? Or is searching for
information online from the comfort of your home enough? And why can’t
you just rely on Wikipedia, after all?
Our specialists
have created this guide for students who feel lost when putting
together an essay, paper, or presentation. Here, we will describe how to
research in a detailed, step-by-step manner. We have also provided
links to useful tools and resources that will help you along the way.
First of all, let’s cover the definitions.
Research
refers to the systematic process of discovering information and
developing knowledge. We use it to understand new topics and to gain
more insight into known issues. This happens through the collection and
analysis of relevant data. The ability to research efficiently is one of
the most fundamental skills in academia.
Any type of research will include the following features:
A sound hypothesis on which the rest of the study is based. It will be either proven or disproven by the evidence gathered.
Systematic investigative methods. These are controlled and follow a pre-established set of rules.
Logical analysis. It follows a set procedure that involves deductive and inductive reasoning.
Empirical data based on actual observation and evidence.
Analytical study of the findings. This ensures in-depth exploration and minimizes mistakes.
Creation of newquestions and new lines of inquiry about the subject via the research.
With that being said, a research paper
is more than just the sum of its sources. Its primary purpose is to
analyze or argue a particular perspective. In the end, your thoughts and
ideas should be the ones you investigate. The evidence you discover
during the research process will be the basis for your hypothesis.
There are three universal purposes of research that you should know about:
Purpose
Explanation
1.
Exploratory
A problem that hasn’t been investigated before and isn’t clearly defined requires exploratory research.
This is the first step in laying the foundation for future, in-depth
study. It requires an unstructured approach and posits several questions
for the researchers to answer.
2.
Descriptive
With a focus on an existing problem, descriptive research
tries to expand our knowledge of the subject matter. It aims to define,
explain, and confirm results. This type of research asks the questions
‘what’ and ‘how.’
3.
Explanatory
Also known as casual research,
the goal here is to look at the cause-and-effect relationship between
variables. The main question in this type of research is ‘why.’ That is
why it is usually approached with experiments.
How to Research: Step-by-Step Guide
As
all the definitions you need are covered, we can proceed to learn about
the process itself. We have developed this guide so that you won’t have
any trouble conducting your research. In the image below, you can see
all the required steps.
In
the following sections, you will examine each step in detail. Also,
you’ll see the reasons why our tips are practical and how to find
sources for your research. Good luck!
1. Develop a Topic
1.1. Pick or Create a Topic
The
first step to research is landing on the right idea. This process isn’t
always easy, especially when you aren’t familiar with the chosen area
of study. However, don’t fret. You can always change your topic later.
Let’s explore how to select your first research idea.
Research
is always conducted for a particular reason. It will always relate to
writing a paper, creating a project, validating existing results, etc.
Your research depends on the goal of your assignment.
The answers will help you define the direction of your work:
Do you have a list of pre-assigned topics? Can you come up with one yourself?
What is the due date for your work? How much time does that leave for research?
What is the scope of your assignment? (Presentation length, number of words/pages, etc.)
Are there any specific requirements regarding the sources that you are allowed to use?
Is it essential to use recent information and current sources?
When you have the answers to all the key questions, you can think of your topic. The following tips will help you:
Choose an idea that is relevant to your assignment. Usually,
your instructor will give you detailed instructions before you start
working. If you are unsure about your guidelines, don’t be afraid to ask
for clarification.
Ensure that there are enough resources for you to use. When
you think of an idea, do a quick preliminary search. It will allow you
to determine whether there is enough available information on your
topic. Take time to validate those resources and make sure they’re
reliable.
Search for a topic that is not too broad or too narrow. This
step directly correlates with the one above. If you are finding too
much general information, narrowing down your search might be a good
idea. However, if you struggle to find credible sources, it could be a
sign to broaden your topic.
Try to be original. Restating
the same ideas that have been explored thousands of times could damage
your grade. Chances are, your instructor has heard it all before and
isn’t all that interested in hearing it again. Yet, choosing an
unconventional approach with a fresh perspective might earn you extra
credit for creativity.
Aim to find an area that will be interesting to explore. If
you find a topic that you, personally, are curious about, researching
it will be much more pleasant. This way, when you start writing or
searching for information, you might actually enjoy the process.
1.2. Formulate Research Questions
As
soon as you have chosen a topic, take the time to format it correctly.
Wording it as a question will ensure that your focus is precise and
nuanced.
And here is how you create research questions:
Step 1: Do some research.
Take
a look at the most recent discussions and debates on your selected
topic. You can check out academic journals and scholarly conferences.
Keep your focus on the main arguments to acquaint yourself with the
concepts.
Step 2: Try narrowing down your topic.
It
is a lot more effective to target a single dimension of a broader topic
than to tackle everything. To do this, try focusing on a particular
aspect, such as a specific location or time period. You can also aim to
discuss certain debates or issues that exist within the topic.
Step 3: Keep your audience in mind.
There
is a difference between crafting a presentation for your classmates and
writing a research paper. Your audience will determine the level of
detail that goes into your question.
Step 4: Ask questions.
Once
you have considered the above steps, it is time to begin asking
yourself questions. Make sure they’re open-ended and start with ‘why,’
‘how,’ or ‘what.’
Step 5: Evaluate your questions.
After
you come up with a couple of ideas, jot them down on paper. Look back
at all the requirements for a successful research question. Which one of
them will be the most effective for your assignment?
1.3. Choose a Research Strategy
To
develop constructive research questions, you will need to conduct an
initial survey of your resources. Take everything you’ve learned so far
as your foundation. Now, you will need to create an efficient strategy
for your further actions.
Your research strategy will depend on the following:
Pay Attention to…
Because…
Time
It
will dictate which resources you should focus on. If your time is
limited, concentrate on gathering data on the web and in your library.
However, if your deadlines aren’t as strict, consider conducting
first-hand research.
Type of Project
It will
determine the depth of your research. Note the guidelines given by your
tutor – do you have any limitations? Ensure that you’re not going over
or under the margins specified.
Type of Data
It
will define the approach to your topic. Think about whether you need
facts and statistics or opinions about particular debates.
Type of Sources
They
will provide the context for your work. Reflect on what you are trying
to achieve with your research. Perhaps it would benefit from the use of
primary sources.
1.4. Figure out Keywords
With your research questions, strategy, and some background info covered, it will be easier to determine the keywords. They will help you look for resources and locate your work in the future. Over here, see how to work with keywords.
Once you have a selection of keywords, you can improve them by doing the following:
Break them into related concepts. By the end, you should have four or five columns with associated keywords.
Choose
one keyword from each column. Use your library’s search engine to look
them up. Don’t forget to type ‘AND’ in-between the words. It will narrow
down the search so that only articles containing all the selected
keywords will appear.
Explore
the results! Don’t be afraid to try several different combinations. You
should also make sure to list all those keywords that bring you the most
valuable results.
If you don’t have enough results, try using fewer keywords. Alternatively, you can try to make your keywords broader.
If you have too many results, try using more keywords. Alternatively, you can try to make your keywords narrower.
Pay
attention to which articles are the most relevant to your needs. Make
sure to save them and skim them for a list of keywords. Write them down,
and create a new list!
Once you
have exhausted your first list, you can create another one. Run another
search following these steps. Don’t forget to note down the relevant
materials – you’ll need them for your citations!
1.5. Improve Your Topic
As
we mentioned above, you can change and refine your topic as many times
as you need before you begin writing. That is why in this section, we
will talk about how to polish and improve your idea. At the very least,
we’ll give you tips on how to format it correctly.
First of all, we need to make sure that your topic is researchable. To accomplish this, answer the 5 ‘w’ questions:
Why are you choosing this particular topic? How is it interesting or different from the rest? What is your stance on the matter?
What are
the main issues your topic is trying to explore? Is it controversial?
What other opinions and questions exist on the subject?
Who is talking about the topic? What points of view exist, and who is giving them? What is their agenda?
When was this topic discussed? Is the issue recent or historical? Does the time frame matter?
Where lays
the importance of your topic? Is it debated on an international,
national, or local level? Is there a particular place that is more
affected than the rest of the world?
After answering these questions, you need to evaluate your idea from these two perspectives:
Is your topic too broad?
It
may happen if you find far too much information on the subject that
doesn’t seem relevant. You will want to narrow it down and include some
specifics, such as:
Place (country, city, street, part of the world, etc.);
Time (year, era, century, etc.);
Populace (ethnicity, gender, age, occupation, etc.);
Event or characteristic (historical occurrence, institutional perspective, etc.);
Individual or group (a particular point of view, specific person or persons, etc.).
Is your topic too narrow?
If
you are discovering too few sources to build a proper case, your topic
is too narrow. Try to broaden it using the following methods:
Remove some of the specifics (place, time, populace, etc.).
Expand some of the specifics (place, time, populace, etc.).
Use synonyms to reword your topic.
Look in other databases to broaden your horizons.
Consider looking into a less current issue (the newer an idea is, the harder it is to find sources).
2. Look Through Sources
2.1. Determine Possible Sources
By
this time, you most probably looked for background information on your
topic a couple of times. Now it’s time to look for more specific info.
For
starters, get the keywords you’ve chosen and see if there is enough
information available. You can start by checking appropriate titles in
the online libraries. Look for sources in encyclopedias and dictionaries
to overview what books or articles you can use.
You can use the following websites for this purpose:
Apart
from encyclopedias and dictionaries, there are, of course, other places
you can check. For instance, you can search for books in your local or university library.
When you look through the text on the shelf, pay attention to the books
nearby – they can become useful too in the subject area.
Additionally, you can find information in your textbooks and assigned readings. Use your library’s electronic databases that keep magazines and newspapers on the topic. In case you are not sure how to do that, ask your librarian. Also, use search engines to locate materials on the Internet. These types of sources will be helpful when looking for generic information.
2.2. Skim Some Books
When
it comes to using books for your research, both hard and electronic
copies work as well. In this section, we will tell you how to use them
for your research.
If
you are a student, you probably do not have time to read every single
book. When working on a short paper, essay, or presentation with limited
time, you are simply looking for citations. Luckily, there is no need
to waste your time examining each book thoroughly. Skimming is enough to
understand if the source works for you or not.
To get the needed information in the book, look at the following elements:
Title Page.
There, you can find all the essential details about the book, the
author’s name, title, the publisher’s name, the date of publication,
etc.
Table of Contents.
This part provides you with a list of all the chapters in the book. You
can get a general idea of what topics the author covered.
List of Illustrations.
In some books, authors use illustrations, tables, drawings to support
the arguments and the facts. Looking through them can help you see the
stats or some other facts quickly.
Preface or Introduction.
Usually, this part of the book provides the author’s intentions and the
purpose of the book. Read it to see whether the book’s topic is
necessary for your research.
Bibliography. This
part of the book provides a list of materials that the author used. You
can check the bibliography for additional resources or references.
Index. Skimming
an index is excellent for identifying where the relevant information is
located in the book. It can also give you some additional keywords that
might be helpful for your research.
How to Find Books: Free Resources
You
can find paperback books in your school’s library or ask your professor
if he can lend you some helpful resources. To look for ebooks, we
recommend using one of the following services:
Scholarly
articles are essential parts of every research. Even small
argumentative essays usually contain citations from these resources.
Here, we will explain how to work with them.
But first, you have to understand how to differentiate based on where these articles are being published. There are two types:
Peer-reviewed journals
These
journals include articles written by an expert in the field. Another
expert (experts) read the article and provided feedback. Thus, the
author implemented the needed changes based on the review.
Scholarly journals
Experts
write articles for these journals. They address the papers to other
academics in the same field. Usually, scholarly journals are written by
professional associations or academic press.
Usually, students
can use academic and scholarly journals interchangeably. However, you
should ask your instructor to explain if sources called “academic” are
acceptable.
To sum up:
Not
to read every single piece of writing, you need to learn how to
identify if the article is credible or not. For that, pay attention to
the following elements:
Author. Look
out for the author’s degrees and credentials. Additionally, see if they
are a member of any association or work at a university or official
organization.
Intended audience. Understanding
the article’s aim is essential. If the author intends to entertain and
inform the general public, it may not be the best source for a student.
You can still read and learn from without citing.
Publication type. Some of the ways to recognize the type are:
Go online and read the sections’ “aims and scope.”
Check
the visual appearance. If the article has colorful images and graphics,
it is most probably written for the general public.
Structure. You
can also look at the length and formatting of the article. If it has a
clear organization with headings, then most probably, the piece is
scholarly. Same with the size. Short papers (with less than five pages)
in general are likely to be not academic articles.
Style. Examine
the language, the point of view, and the tone of the article. If the
document has many technical terms and professional jargon, then it is
usually scholarly or peer-reviewed. Ask yourself what level of education
one needs to comprehend the text entirely.
If all of the following parameters fit your expectations, you can only start by reading and analyzing the article.
How to Find Articles: Free Resources
Not sure where to look for articles? Check the following resources that our team recommends:
Google
Scholar is a web search engine that indexes most peer-reviewed
journals, books, abstracts, theses, and dissertations. The goal behind
this engine is to make access to scientific knowledge more efficient. It
also has a citation analysis tool.
WWS
is a global science search engine that looks for articles and
scientific papers across more than 100 databases. It is partially free
and multilingual.
Microsoft
Academic is a web search for scientific knowledge. You look for any
topic, author, journal, or combination of the following on the website.
Microsoft Academic is entirely free.
ScienceOpen
is a complete end-to-end publishing solution that has over 50 million
articles and records. It provides a wide range of tools to researchers
for free.
RG
is a European social networking website for scientists and researchers.
You don’t have to register to read articles. Yet, you need to have an
email affiliated with one of the recognized institutions to become a
site member.
The
CORE is a service provided by the Knowledge Media Institute. The aim is
to gain open access to different systems as it works closely with
digital libraries. CORE claims that it is the world’s largest aggregator
of open access research papers.
ERIC
is an online library of education research and information. The U.S.
Department of Education sponsors it. This library is free of charge and
has a lot of filters for the most accurate search results.
2.4. Examine Useful Databases
If
you still don’t know what sources to use, you can study databases.
These collections contain many high-quality books and articles and
conference presentations, video lectures, illustrations, etc. In this
section, see how to use them and how to benefit from doing this.
A database
is a collection of stored and structured information, usually
controlled by a dates management system (DBMS). Information is generally
modeled in rows and columns in different tables. Thus, even your
university’s online library can be considered a database.
Here are some crucial tips on using databases:
Use AND, OR, and NOT.
When you combine search terms, you need connectors. They will make your
search more specific and efficient. For each situation, use a different
boolean operator:
AND when you want to use both terms.
OR when you can choose either time.
NOT when you want to exclude words.
Type asterisks, exclamation points, and questions marks.
If you don’t use asterisks and wildcards, some databases will not
provide the search you need. They are also beneficial in making your
search more specific.
Look out for the “subject search” option. This way, you will search for information located on the heading field. It is possible due to a system called controlled vocabulary.
Improve your keywords.
Try to be creative with your key phrases and words. Look for all the
possible ways to express your topic by using synonyms and associated
concepts.
Try using parentheses. When you look for complex queries, use parentheses. They will allow you to group terms together.
Search for clues.
Carefully look for tips and hints in the results. Analysis of the
trends, indications, and numbers can help you understand the information
better.
Check the stacks.
Stacks are linear data structures that follow a specific pattern. As
collections of elements, they can help you with one particular search.
Look through different databases.
You can look across other databases and combine what you’ve found. The
more data you will consider, the more precise your results are.
Free Databases to Use for Research
There
are many open-access databases that you can use when conducting your
research. Our experts previously mentioned a lot of those in the
sections about ebooks and scholarly articles.
Here are some more databases that you can find to be helpful:
SSRN
is worldwide research that contains full-text academic papers. It is an
open-access resource for subjects like accounting, economics, finance,
law, etc.
PLOS
is a nonprofit organization that publishes research in medicine and
science. It is peer-reviewed that publishes papers under creative
commons licenses.
Besides
search engines and databases, there are other online resources that you
can use as a starting point for your research. The only issue is that
you might not know if the information is legit.
These websites are suitable for academic research:
Of
course, you can use online resources for research. They are especially
great when you’re looking for background information or defining the
topic. Yet, one thing to keep in mind is to choose the websites and data
from them carefully.
Here are some cons of using these online sources:
Unreliable. Anyone
can write websites, and they are rarely checked for accuracy, bias, and
credibility. They are also regularly filled with old content.
Chargeable. A lot of websites are free of charge. Yet, very often, to read the full article or cite the page you need, you have to pay.
Tricky to cite. Most websites do not have any citation tools, so it can be hard to add them as references.
Unstable. Websites are usually not permanent. Both the content and the address change – the link might not be available later on.
Free Websites to Use for Research
Using
different websites for background information search and a general
understanding of a given topic makes total sense. But when needed, you
can use them for actual research.
For this purpose, we recommend the following websites:
On
this website, you can find more than 45 million images, texts, videos,
and sounds from across the United States. DPLA can be used for scholarly
research and education.
It
is a public collection that offers more than one million images,
videos, and documents. This general collection includes papers from
Cornell University, MIT, RISD, and Colby College.
This
website is a place that you can use to search for topics. It is a part
of Technology and Transformation Services. It also has a
Spanish-language portal.
It
is the U.S. Government’s open data website. You can find information,
tools, resources for successful research. It was launched in 2009 and
hosted by the U.S. General Services Administration.
3. Evaluate the Sources
3.1. Select What Sources to Use
By
this step, you have collected many sources for your work. Now is the
time to sort through them and get rid of the ones you don’t need. Here,
we will explain how to choose appropriate sources for your research.
When checking the quality and credibility of a source, use this checklist:
Currency
The
information that was relevant five years ago may not be relevant any
longer. Thus, it is crucial to check for the currency and accuracy of
your sources. Even when regarding trustworthy publishers, take note of
the dates of the studies.
Purpose
Every
single research is done with a particular agenda in mind. Sometimes, it
is to pursue advancements in science. Other times, the purpose may be
political or economic. Ensure that you check who publishes the
information you’re reading and what possible motive or bias they might
have.
Relevance
Any
topic has several perspectives and several possible approaches. Not to
mention, one area of inquiry can open the door to many others.
Double-check that the information you’re studying is directly relevant
to your research question.
Authority
Consider
who is publishing the information and what credentials the author has.
Is this well-known research, or are you referring to someone’s opinion?
Make sure that others can verify the statements you’re reading.
Accuracy
It
is up to you to verify whether your sources are credible. Take into
account the previous points in the checklist and let them guide you.
Assess the accuracy of the claims you’re reading before adding the
source to your reference list.
Publisher
Note
if an academic press has published the article or book you’re
considering. In this case, the chances are that it has been through a
peer-review process, and the information is accurate. However, for data
found on the web, you may have to fact-check the claims yourself.
3.2. Take Notes
When
you have sorted through your sources, you can start reading through
them at length. You will still have the opportunity to filter out
unneeded information. To accomplish this, we recommend marking down the
relevant fragments that you will use in your work.
We advise you to study your sources in the following order:
Step 1: Skim through the text.
Don’t
immediately spend an excessive amount of time reading paragraphs and
paragraphs of text. First, run through the source to identify the most
relevant passages and headings. Note any words or terminology that catch
your eye. It will allow you to form a rough idea of the author’s main
arguments.
Step 2: Ask questions.
After
you finish skimming through the text, write down any questions that
formed in your mind. Make sure that you keep them relevant to your
topic. These questions will help you figure out what information you are
hoping to obtain from the source.
Step 3: Underline or highlight.
It’s
time to read the source actively. Grab a highlighter or a pen and note
down anything that seems relevant or interesting. Pay special attention
to the passages that caught your eye earlier. Once you find answers to
your questions (or think of even more questions), make sure to jot them
in the margins.
As
you have finished reading, write down a quick summary of your findings.
Do this immediately after you finish while the information is still
fresh in your mind. Organize your notes and look up any terminology that
isn’t familiar. Also, take a quick look at the bibliography provided by
the source – you could find something useful!
Step 5: Write down key information.
Before
moving on to the next source, don’t forget to note everything you need
for the bibliography. Write down the title, the author’s name, the
publisher, and the date of publishing. If you are using a website, save
the URL. Double-check which citation format you’re required to use.
4. Write Your Paper
4.1. Formulate Your Thesis
A thesis statement
is often referred to as the heart of your work since it contains the
main idea and stance of the author. The writing process starts with
figuring out what you want to say. State it in one sentence, referring
back to all the research that you have conducted thus far.
Here are a few tips you could use in writing a compelling thesis statement based on your research:
State your point clearly. Your
argument needs to be explicit and direct. Remember that you will have
to address it within the limited confines of your work. There isn’t the
space to consider too many points of view. That is why your audience
must be clear on the direction your debate is going to follow.
Be specific. You
have to ensure that your wording is as clear-cut as possible. The
thesis needs to state the exact idea you will be exploring. If you
formulate it too vaguely, the content of your work will be all over the
place. Polish your thesis until it becomes specific to your argument.
Question what you think. To
accomplish this, you will need to keep your target audience in mind.
Consider what views your readers must have to understand the point you
are trying to make. Your statement must be grounded to those who don’t
necessarily have the same ideas as you.
Showcase a strong position.
Don’t forget that your thesis statement is a reflection of your
comprehension of the topic. While it must be clear and coherent, it
should also advance your unique position on the matter. Instead of
simply making an observation about something, don’t hesitate to take a
stance.
Formulating a successful thesis statement
takes time and practice. It is likely that you will not get it
completely right on your first try. If you feel like you need some
training or require examples, try using our thesis statement generator.
4.2. Outline Your Paper
If
you have reached this stage in your work process, it means that you
have everything you need. You have composed a strong thesis statement
and have your notes and arguments beside you. Now, you have to put them
together in a logical order. This way, your reader will see your thought
process clearly.
Determine the research problem. This
isn’t just your thesis statement but is also the key to creating your
title. It is the central point of your work. Try formulating it in a
single sentence or phrase for efficiency.
Identify the key arguments. Think
of what points you are trying to make with your research. Very briefly
note them in your introduction. You will proceed to explore and build on
them throughout the rest of your paper.
Formulate the first category. Consider
which point you should cover first. Typically, it is a good idea to
start with definitions and clarifications of any critical terminology.
You may also want to introduce the background of a particular theory or
concept you are exploring.
Include subcategories if needed. For
now, try listing them in the form of a bullet list. The subcategories
should provide the basis and support the main points you’re making.
Sum up and conclude. Once
you have created the rough draft, tie everything together. Conclude
your project and refer back to your thesis. Make sure that you haven’t
strayed away from your research question in creating your outline.
If
you have followed these steps, you should end up with a defined
beginning, middle, and end. Naturally, different research papers will
have carrying outlines. For example, a term paper will have a smaller
number of subcategories than a dissertation. Moreover, some projects
will require you to mention your research methods, results, etc. You can
find more information on how to write an essay or another type of paper in specialized online guides.
4.3. Add Quotes and Examples
To
prove that you aren’t making up arguments on the fly, you should
provide supporting evidence. You have to refer back to your sources and
cite articles and books found during your research.
You can cite a source as supporting evidence like this:
Form of Referring to Sources
What It Is
How to Do It
Summarizing
Listing the main points made in the source in a shortened form.
Read
the extract you are trying to summarize until you have a good
understanding of the material. Think about two or three main ideas that
capture the essence of the argument. Write it down and revise, adding
the citation in parenthesis at the end.
Paraphrasing
Restating the arguments made by the author using your own words.
Read
the passage or sentence you want to paraphrase several times. Once you
think you have grasped its meaning, go back to your paper. Change the
sentence’s structure and use synonyms. Cite the source in parenthesis
when you are done.
Quoting
Copying the exact sentence or phrase as it appears in the source without alteration.
Make
sure that the quotation you want to use isn’t too lengthy. It should be
relevant to your text. Copy it word for word with quotation marks. Add
the citation at the end in parenthesis.
You
will be rephrasing and analyzing others’ opinions on your chosen topic
for most of your work. However, from time to time, a direct quotation is
necessary to support your arguments. This is suitable in the following
cases:
You don’t want to lose the author’s original meaning by summarizing or paraphrasing their words.
The language in the source material is very effective and would be weakened if you tried to reword it.
The language that the author is using is important historically.
The authority found in the source will lend more credibility to the point you are trying to make.
5. Cite Your Sources
Congratulations
– your work is nearly finished! You have only a couple of steps left.
To round up your research, compile a list of sources you have used. You
should also indicate which parts you have cited in your text. That is
what we are going to discuss in this section.
Simply put, a citation
is used to refer back to the source material. You can cite anything,
from an academic article or book to a video or even a viral tweet. This
is how you give credit to the original author for their work.
There are a couple of ways to utilize citations in your work correctly:
When employing quotations, summarizing, or paraphrasing in your text, use in-text citations.
These must be placed directly in the body of the work in parenthesis,
following the cited fragment. The in-text citations are always
shortened, referring only to the author and the year of publishing.
Sometimes, for larger works, the page number is also included.
The full citations go into the references/works cited
page at the end of your work. This is also sometimes referred to as a
bibliography. These include various features, such as the title of the
work, the author’s name, date of publishing, etc. Different citation
styles require different elements to be mentioned. Make sure to
double-check which one your institution expects you to use.
As
we mentioned, while creating any academic work, you are expected to use
references. You will have to choose a particular citation style or be
directed to one by your instructor. This style will be used consistently
throughout your work. Each one has its specific features and
guidelines.
It
always includes the same core elements. The elements follow in a
specific order. In-text citations are provided in parenthesis. Sources
page is titled “Works Cited.”
All
words are capitalized (except for prepositions and articles). The
titles of books and journals are italicized. In-text citations are
provided in parenthesis. Sources page is titled “References.”
Source
titles are written using sentence case capitalization. Book chapters
and article titles are in single quotation marks. In-text citations are
provided in parenthesis and are matched with the reference list.
Sources page is titled “Reference List.”
In
a title, only the first word is capitalized. The in-text sources are
noted numerically. The numbers for the in-text citations match with the
reference list. Sources page is titled “Reference List.”
You can read more about each citation style if you follow the links for the related referencing guides.
9 Online Tools for Research
In
the previous sections, we have examined search engines, databases, and
websites that you can use in your research. However, there are plenty of
other online tools that can be very useful for your work process. We
are going to talk about them here.
The following online tools can help you immensely while you research:
ProCon.org
is a website that allows you to consider several viewpoints on
debatable issues. It features multiple controversial topics and lets the
readers experience different sides of the arguments in a non-biased
manner.
Journal TOCs
is a service that allows you to discover the newest academic papers as
soon as they are available online. When writing about current events, it
is essential to stay up-to-date, especially concerning research.
EndNote
is a multifunctional tool with many valuable features. It provides you
with fast database search, automatic bibliography, and more. Research
takes an incredible amount of time and effort, and this program is
determined to save you time and resources.
Paperpile
is an extension for your browser and can be installed on your mobile
devices as well. Tracking down and compiling your references can become a
hassle – this is why Paperpile manages them for you.
Zotero
is another useful extension for your browser. It collects and organizes
your research for you. It can also help you with the creation of your
citations and allows you to collaborate with others.
RefWorks
is a tool that allows you to save your references from any webpage. It
also helps you import them from online databases. You will be able to
annotate and highlight your texts, as well as quickly search through
them.
Science Daily
allows its readers to browse through all the latest news in several
different spheres. Keeping up with updates in the scientific sphere is
essential for any researcher, but especially those in the STEM fields.
ScienceDaily is a must-have if you need to save time.
DeepDyve
gives you access to different current research articles for a limited
time. A large number of valuable sources online are locked behind a
paywall. It tends to be troublesome and expensive. DeepDyve allows you
to check articles for free to see whether you need them for your
research or not.
Thank you for your attention! We
hope that you are now feeling more prepared to approach research in any
sphere. Share this page with other students who you think could use our
guide.
This week marked the 11th anniversary of this blog. For the past few years, on this week, I have published blog posts encouraging others to blog, and sharing some tips,
based on my experience. However, the past year has been so different
from the usual that I thought that I might do something a little bit
different, here, too. I thought that I might share what are – in my
opinion – some things to NOT do, when you are blogging.
As usual, this post is written from the point of view of an academic
who blogs. Moreover, it is written from a position of relative
privilege, resulting from my demographic characteristics as well as my
professional status. All this to say that, this advice may not be relevant for everyone reading this post.
Having said that, I hope that the ideas here are helpful, and that they
save you time (and some frustration), if you are embarking on a
blogging journey.
Don’t feel that you have to blog
Or, indeed, have a social presence at all.
There is a growing tendency to ask academics to have a social
presence, and to help universities, funders and publishers disseminate
their work – e.g., to mention open days, to share the results of a
research project, or to publicise a new book. While blogging has many benefits for academics, there are costs and risks associated with this activity, too. Hence, you should only do it if it helps you achieve your goals, and if you feel comfortable doing so. If blogging doesn’t fit your plans or personality, don’t do it. There are many other ways of
exercising your scholarship, of engaging with others in the academic
and practitioner communities, and of achieving the benefits that others
may derive from blogging.
2. Don’t confuse the means with the end
Blogging can bring many benefits to bloggers. For instance, it can
help to improve (writing) skills; it can be an effective way of
expressing opinions; or it can be a mechanism to meet like-minded
individuals. As these examples show, blogging can be a useful means to achieve particular process, content or social goals. If this is your case, then go ahead and blog in the way that fits your goal.
If blogging twice a week fits your goal, do it; if it doesn’t, change
the frequency. If writing long posts works well for you, go ahead and
write your heart out; if it doesn’t, play around with different post lengths or even formats.
If blogging about your published work is what drives you, go for it; if
you find that summarising academic papers, asking questions and talking
about work in progress helps you become a better academic, then that’s
what you should be doing.
However, unless blogging becomes your main, paid role, you need to
remember that you are a blogging academic, not an academic blogger.
3. Don’t expect blogging to deliver tangible benefits
At least, not immediately.
It’s not that I don’t think that blogging could deliver tangible benefits. It does. It’s just that having a blog per se doesn’t necessarily translate into value.
I am actually stealing this idea from Cal Newport’s Deep Questions podcast (episode 23rd of August 2020). He said that “The
idea that being online will somehow translate into value, which will
lead to remuneration is wrong. Just being [online] doesn’t bring value.
[But] if you are doing something already valuable, then, yes, using
these tools can help you find and grow an audience.”
4. Don’t be discouraged if no one reads your blog
Maybe in the “olden days”, when very few people blogged, it was
possible that someone would notice your blog, by accident. Nowadays,
however, with so much content around – and so many content filters – that’s not the case. So, be patient. It takes time to build an audience.
Keep writing for the benefit that it gives you (see above), not for
how many people are reading each post. Unless, of course, your goal is
to reach a wide audience – for instance, if you are trying to recruit
participants for a study. If that is your case, then you should
consider writing long form posts in other outlets, or contribute to multi-author blogs, rather than creating your own, individual blog.
5. Don’t assume that no one reads your blog
While it may sometimes feel like you are talking to the void – particularly when you are starting –
that doesn’t mean that no one is reading your blog posts (or that they
will not find your posts a long time after you have written them). So,
don’t be unkind (or even just “candid”) about colleagues, students,
research participants, relatives, and so on. Chances are that, sooner or
later, someone will come across your blog, or that old post, and it
will cause you a lot of embarrassment, at the very least (and, possibly,
even loss of trust, or financial losses).
6. Don’t overshare
In particular, don’t share unpublished data or research findings.
Some people worry that blogging about their research risks it being
stolen. And, indeed, it may be that others will beat you to the finish
line, and publish a paper in the area that you are working on, before
you do. But, most likely, that is not because they read your blog post.
It’s just that they have been chiselling that metaphorical stone for
longer, or harder, or with more resources or, frankly, with more confidence to ship their work than you.
In fact, the contrary of having your work stolen may happen: Having a
time-stamped blog post may end up being a useful aid in a dispute, if
someone steals your data or research; and people may come to you with
ideas about making your work better.
The reason for not sharing unpublished data is not plagiarism, but rather originality, which is a key criterion for publication in top journals.
7. Don’t be too focused on metrics
Blogging platforms will usually give you some information on where
your readers come from, what they have read, whether they clicked on the
links that you provided, and so on. In turn, that information can help
you improve your communication style. For instance, if you get lots of
readers from outside of your country, you may want to avoid very
specific cultural references, or avoid the use of words with ambiguous
meanings (e.g., “pants” = underwear in British English, but outwear in American English).
However, don’t obsess over who is reading what, and when. And, most of all, don’t be driven by the metrics.
If I were driven by short term metrics, I would mostly write diary type entries, such as my monthly round-ups or the DITL posts. Conversely, if I were trying to maximise evergreen content, I would write teaching materials like what the analyses of smartphone prices vs costs tells us about the role of brands, or what is the difference between segments and tribes.
The truth is that the posts where I dissect a paper, or bring together a number of papers on a topic (for instance, Artificial Intelligence)
bring me only a trickle of readers, and the odd comment or retweet.
However, they are exactly the ones that benefit my research work the
most, because they help me work though the literature on a topic and,
thus, build knowledge that I can later use in a paper.
8. Don’t over think it
If there’s one thing that 2020 has taught us is that even the best
laid plans can quickly derail. So, don’t spend too much time or energy
thinking about the right name for your blog, the right host / platform,
the right frequency of posting, the right format, and so on. Just make
sure that you don’t choose a name that could be embarrassing (Speed of
Art and Pen Island, come to mind), or a name that will not age well (you
are not going to be a research student for ever; or on sabbatical).
Other than that, go for it. Use one of the many free services
available, and experiment with format. You can always scrap it and start
again. Think of it as a “season” – you can always fine tune it for the
next season; or simply delete it, and start something different, if
blogging doesn’t work for you.
What other hazards should we highlight for someone starting on this journey?
![How to Research: Ultimate Guide [+Online Tools]](https://ivypanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/multiethnic-team-young-partners-having-meeting-cafeteria-discussing-plans-sharing-ideas-analyzing-financial-data-project-using-laptop-704x372.jpg)
What Is Research?
How to Research: Guide
9 Online Tools for Research
when you want to use both terms.
