Like explorers in new territory, research writers first take a broad look at promising viewpoints, changes, and trends. Then they zero in on a small area.
For more on electronic searches, see Ch. 32.
Go Online. You may start out by searching for your topic; families, for instance, turned up about 739 million Google entries. In our search, the first two came from Wikipedia, the collaborative online encyclopedia which may orient you to key words and subtopics. (Be cautious, however. Because users can edit entries on this site, instructors may or may not consider it reliable for deeper research.) Next came organizations with families in their names — nonprofit, government, religious, for-profit groups, all jumbled together. Similarly, Google Scholar’s first item covered plant (not human) families, while Google Groups led to more personal family interests. A vast Internet search can produce many sources but little focus.
Browse the Library. For more focused, academic sources, visit your campus library or its Web site. The library probably subscribes to many general databases (such as Academic Search Premier, Academic OneFile, and Gale Virtual Reference), as well as field-specific resources. Ask a reference librarian (electronically or in person) where to start investigating a topic.
For more on interviewing, see Ch. 6.
Talk with Experts. If you’re curious about America’s fascination with cars, meet with a professor, such as a sociologist or a journalist, who specializes in the area. Talk with friends who are passionate about their cars. Or go to an auto show, observing and talking with people who attend.
For more on purpose and audience, see pp. 11–15 and 398–99.
Revisit Your Purpose and Audience. Refine your purpose and your audience analysis in light of your discoveries thus far. Consider what goal you’d like your research to accomplish — whether in your personal life, for a college class, or on the job.
| Satisfy curiosity | Analyze a situation |
| Take a new perspective | Substantiate a conclusion |
| Make a decision | Support a position |
| Solve a problem | Advocate for change |
Suppose your survey of campus programs leads you to a proposal by the International Students Office for matching first-year students with host families during holidays. You wonder what such programs cost, how they work, what they offer students and host families. At first, you think that your purpose is to persuade the community to participate. Then you see that the real challenge is to gain the activity director’s support.