Steps of Research: The 7 Steps of Research

One of the most noticeable differences between secondary school and university for many students will be the need to conduct research using mostly scholarly sources. This guide will help walk you through the seven basic steps of conducting research to complete a research project of any type. Each module will give more specific details about each action you need to complete. 

Research is an essential part of critical thinking and higher education. You are creating your own unique point of view on complex topics based on the previous research of others and the credible information you compile. It might be tempting to simply recycle arguments that you find elsewhere, but not only is that plagiarism, it deprives you of developing your own voice and point of view to share with others in a scholarly conversation. Research does not exist in a bubble, but rather it is a dialogue between different individuals or stakeholders, both past and present. 

The following seven steps outline a simple and effective strategy for finding information for a research project and documenting the sources you find. 

Step 1: Identify and develop your topic. 

Step 2: Find background information. 

Step 3: Search the online library catalogue to find books and other media. 

Step 4: Find peer-reviewed journal articles using the library databases. 

Step 5: Find internet sources. 

Step 6: Evaluate the information you have found. 

Step 7: Cite what you have found, using a standard format for your bibliography. Please see our LibGuide on citations. 

Check the other tabs of this guide for more detailed information on each of these stеps.

This guide is developed to help students doing research for any course, but especially for those enrolled in ENG1002. If you need extra support beyond this online tutorial, please contact the Panitza Library to set up an appointment for an individual consultation with a librarian. 

For a deeper dive into research for first-year students, please consult the open access textbook, Critical Thinking in Academic Research by Cindy Gruwell and Robin Ewing.