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While classes like ENGL 1500 and ENGL 2500 will help you with the writing process, this course is focused on the research process. Specifically, how to find and evaluate the information needed to fulfill your assignments.

This module will give you a brief overview of the research process. Modules 2-4 will focus on what kinds of information you need, how to obtain it, and how to evaluate it for reliability and trustworthiness. Module 5 will wrap things up by discussing how and why scholars cite the information they've used in their research.

Understanding the research process will keep you from being overwhelmed and lost in the deep, dark sea of information.¹

¹If at any point along the way you do get overwhelmed, don't worry. I'm here to help you.

Try it! Find your Cy-brarian at Parks Library

When you get overwhelmed with a research assignment or just need a little help, contact your Cy-brarian (also known as a subject librarian). These librarians are specialists in everything from Accounting to World Languages and Cultures, and are happy to help you navigate and understand all of the many, many resources available to you at ISU.

Take a minute and identify who your subject librarian is, and schedule an appointment with them to introduce yourself!

A gif showing how to find your subject librarian. First, go to lib.iastate.edu and then click on the tab for Research and Teach, and select Help with Research. Click on the card for Find Your Librarian. Librarians are listed by their subjects in alphabetical order.

Basic stages of the research process

Here's how we break down the basic stages of the research process:

Understanding your assignment parameters by:
- Knowing the assignment requirements
- Knowing the number of sources and types of information needed
Presearching to acquire background knowledge on the potential topic.
Developing your research question
Gathering the required information by:
- Developing keywords from your research question
- Using those keywords to craft your information search strategy
Refining and improving your question
- Based on the information you've gathered, you will refine and improve your question multiple times as you learn more about your topic
- Once you've gathered enough information to answer your question, you'll then develop your thesis statement
Informing others about your research by:
- Tracking all the information sources you've used
- Citing your information sources.

While these stages seem clear-cut and straightforward, actual research is quite messy! Scholars often do one or more steps multiple times over the course of their project, developing and refining their research based on the information they find. In practice, the research process looks more like the graphic below:

Graphic depicting the research process as a tangled line with the steps jumbled up across it.

Key takeaways

In theory, the research process can be outlined in distinct stages. In practice, the research process is a little messier. The modules in LIB 1600 will explain these steps to keep you from feeling overwhelmed and help you focus on the information requirements for your research projects.