Researching is a practical skill that will bring lifelong benefits. It is vital in every occupation. Companies expect their employees to find information and reach informed conclusions about problems.

The Process of Doing Research
In researching, you go through the steps of finding, assessing, and incorporating information into your written work. These strategies will make that process go smoothly:

1. Identify a significant topic. This step is crucial to your success. Make sure your topic is timely and significant.
   
   
2. Limit the scope of your topic. Select a topic you can realistically research in the time you have available. Consider limiting your topic for a certain audience or context.
   
   
3. Identify the location of materials for your research. The materials you use will often include a variety of media-print, electronic, audiovisual, Internet-found in a variety of places.
   
   
4. Know how to use the sources you find. You may need to use special equipment or software to use some information sources.
   
   
5. Familiarize yourself with these research materials. Find out how they are organized. Prefaces and introductions typically spell out an author's or reference work's purpose and scope.
   
   
6. Know how to evaluate sources. Ask questions about the information you find. What are the most significant sources? Are they recent? complete? biased?
   
   
7. Always document where and from whom you received information. Documenting your sources is an ethical and legal necessity. See Chapter 9.

View your research as a foundation to pinnacle process: The foundation of your search will be your school’s on-line catalog. The catalog will enable you to find a variety of databases. You can then search the Internet for more information. At the pinnacle will be the exact information you need, most likely in print form.

The foundation of your search will be your school's on-line catalog. The catalog will enable you to find a variety of databases. You can then search the Internet for more information. At the top will be the exact information you need, most likely in print form.

Here are some tips for computer searches: (1) Prepare for your search. Before you begin, decide what specific aspect of your topic you are interested in. (2) Conduct a preliminary search. That is, find out approximately how much information there is on your topic, to get an idea of whether you will be asking for ten entries or a hundred. (3) Refine your search. Experiment with keywords to make your searches more precise. (4) Be realistic. Databases have limits and do not scan an unlimited period of time. (5) Know the types of resources your library has available. If your library's access to databases is limited, try another library.

The Library and Its Services
The first place to look is your library's on-line catalog; it will tell you what materials your library has and where to find them. You can search the catalog by author, by title, by subject, or by keyword. Many library catalogs are now Web-based. Each citation you pull up will include hyperlinks allowing you to navigate through the catalog as well as related Web sites.

Periodicals contain a wealth of information. A number of different reference tools will help you find specific information in periodicals. An index is a list by subject, and sometimes by author, of articles that have appeared within a specific period of time. An abstract is a short summary of the content and scope of a book, article, or report. Databases collect individual indexes and abstracts. There are thousands of different databases. Almost every professional discipline has its own database. Some widely used ones include EBSCOhost, OCLC FirstSearch, INGENTA, LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe, and ProQuest. In addition to databases, you can also consult various Web sites that function as "libraries online," including My Virtual Reference Desk Library, the Electric Library, and Questia.

Your library has many reference books-encyclopedias, dictionaries, abstracts, manuals, and almanacs-which are sources of useful facts and basic information. There are many specialized encyclopedias, such as the Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism and the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. These include more technical information than general-interest encyclopedias do. Some encyclopedias are available on CD-ROM or the Web; these do not give the full text of entries. Manuals supply explanations of procedures and overviews of practical and professional issues you will encounter on the job. Also check directories that offer information on specific companies, such as the World Business Directory. Almanacs contain carefully organized statistical information on a variety of specialized subjects.

Government documents include journal articles, pamphlets, research reports, transcripts of government hearings, speeches, statistical reports, films, maps, and books. The U.S. government is the country's largest publisher. There is a government document for just about any topic you can think of.

The popular press includes materials written in nontechnical language for the general public, such as brochures, consumer documents, and newspapers. The New York Times Index is a useful index to newspapers. NewsBank collects newspaper stories from over 500 U.S. newspapers, indexed by topic.

Audiovisual materials are also listed in the on-line catalog. Microforms reduce a great deal of information, such as back issues of newspapers, from its original size and store it compactly on film or tape. You can read the information using a microform reader.

The Internet
On the Internet (particularly the Web) you can find thousands of databases, collections, and other information services; tables of contents for technical and trade journals; copies of articles from popular magazines to technical journals; popular newspapers from around the world; leading encyclopedias (like the Britannica Web site); technical manuals, guides, and product descriptions; video clips and sound bites from movies; statistical data on stocks and bonds, exchange rates; and on and on.

Remember that the Web is not just a research tool; it is also a form of entertainment and an aggressive business. You may not always find the best information on the Web. You won't find every article from every journal or newspaper. Many have posted articles only from the past few years. Some sites charge for access to their materials. Make a hard copy of anything you intend to cite in your paper or report, since Web pages can change or be deleted. There is no central quality control on the Web, so evaluate the information you find there critically.

To evaluate a Web site, look for sites maintained by reputable authors or organizations (sites run by government agencies are good places to begin). Find out when the information was posted or updated. Consider the qualifications of individuals who express viewpoints on a given site. Don't rely on a single site for your information. Finally, do not assume that everything you need can be found on the Web.

There is no single index to the Web. There are many search engines, sites that catalog other Web sites and describe and assess them. There are different types of search engines. The slower ones tend to provide more detailed results. Popular search engines include Google, AltaVista, Dogpile, Hotbot, Infoseek, WebCrawler, and Yahoo!

Learn how to use the search engines. To focus your search results, use more than one keyword. Identify a precise subject and refine your keyword choices as necessary. Use delimiters (quotation marks; and, or, or not; + or *) to pinpoint your search.

Note Taking
Note taking is the crucial link between finding sources and writing a proposal or report. Never trust your memory to keep all your research facts straight. On 3 x 5 cards, write down all the bibliographic information for each source (see Chapter 9). On 4 x 6 cards, take notes on the content. Copy names, facts, dates, and statistics accurately. Distinguish direct quotations from paraphrases. (Quote sparingly-no more than 15 percent of your paper or report.) Write a code word or phrase in the upper right-hand corner to identify the topic treated by the source or the information written on the card from that source. You might indicate in the note why the material is significant to your argument or where you might include it in your paper or report.