If you have little experience doing research for academic projects, you may feel some anxiety about a major research assignment, but keep the following facts in mind:
You already know something about doing research. You act as a researcher whenever you try to find out more about anything that interests you. If you are researching coffee options, you may look online for information on coffee companies’ fair-
Research projects that interest you are easier and more enjoyable to complete. Researchers usually seek out information and opinions for a reason. Your main purpose in college research may be to fulfill an assignment, but if you can also find a personal connection, your research task will be more rewarding.
Research rarely progresses in a neat line from start to finish. When you begin any research, you don’t know exactly what you will discover. You begin with a question that may lead you to other sources. Additional research may narrow your idea—
Good research calls for careful reflection. You may often begin research by skimming to identify useful sources, but once you have found key sources, stop skimming! Read carefully, taking notes and reflecting on what a particular source offers you in terms of the major point or argument you are making. What makes this source useful to you? How reliable is it? What does it suggest you may need more information about?
Good research can make you a genuine expert. If you approach your research seriously and follow all the leads that you can, you may eventually become an expert on a topic that interests you.
College research may range from a couple of hours spent gathering background information on a topic for a brief essay to weeks or months of full-