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College Level Research: Gather Information

Build on your high school research experiences and adjust to the higher standards recommended for college research projects with these tips and guidelines.

Read, Interview & Understand

  • Read through several sources about your topic
  • Watch recorded programs from experts 
  • Interview experts on your topic
  • Carefully record the source of any material gained

 

Take Notes & Document Information

Take Notes

  • As you read your sources of information and interview experts:
    • take notes in your own words
    • paraphrase or quote main ideas and evidence related to your research
    • build diagrams, charts and other visual representations of the information
  • Remember:
    • several notes from one source can be on the same page
    • numbering, grammar and abbreviations are your choice--make them work for you!
    • document the source (author, year, title of work, page number OR person interviewed and date) 

Example:

Lyons & Evans  (2013).  Blended Learning to Increase Student Satisfaction. Internet Reference    Services Quarterly 18:1, 43-53. 

Students appreciated “the practical application of the facilitators’ replies, especially the chance for one-on-one time with the librarian.” p47

“Students were able to continue their research during the week, at their convenience, without having to wait until the next in-person meeting” p48

“Participation in both semesters was at a highest when students were  asked about their search strategies and the librarian assisted with selecting library databases and subject headings for their search terms” p48

“Students felt distant from the activity when there was a lack of immediate responses to posts” p48

Students “were surprised by how passionate people became about their projects” p48

Unexpected benefit: the level “students learned from each other in this venue, including finding motivation, focus, insight, and understanding from their peers’ feedback”” p49-50

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