Your employer asks you to recommend the best software for a particular project. You want to plan an alternative spring break trip to work with Habitat for Humanity. Your instructor assigns a term paper about a jazz musician. Each of these situations calls for research, for examining various kinds of sources. Preparing to begin your research means taking a long look at what you already know, the best way to proceed, and the amount of time you have to find out what you need to know. For success in college and beyond, you need to understand how to start the process of academic research.