Research Writing

A key component of research writing is choosing a suitable topic. Click through the interactive below to practice selecting a topic that is not too broad or too narrow. 

Another important step is creating a research question from your topic. Click through this interactive for guidance on writing a good research question.

Searching in Databases

Let’s take a look at a key skill in performing research: using databases.

When you undertake a research project, there are many ways you might gather information. Depending on your topic and focus, you may conduct interviews, gather data, or look through archives. One of the most fruitful ways to gather information is by searching a database.

A specialized database—often called a research or library database—allows targeted searching on one or more specific subject areas (i.e., engineering, medicine, Latin American history, etc.), for a specific format (i.e., books, articles, conference proceedings, video, images), or for a specific date range during which the information was published. Most of what specialized databases contain can not be found by Google or Bing.

Searching a database is not quite as simple as performing a Google search, however. It requires knowledge of a few skills that you will practice in this workshop. Once you complete the following activities, you will know how to locate specific, relevant material on specialized databases.

This video reviews some of the best search tips for getting the information you want from a database.

You can view the transcript for “Database searching tips” here (opens in new window).

Evaluating Sources

Let’s practice evaluating a source using the CRAAP method.

Select one of the research questions and associated sources to evaluate below. Then, perform a CRAAP analysis using the guided interactive below.Options:

• How effective is the 4-day workweek at improving productivity and employee well-being?
  • Source:The rise of the 4-day workweek – American Psychological Association
• Should college be free in the United States?
  • Source: Is free college a good idea? Increasingly, evidence says yes – Brookings Institution
• How does climate change affect the frequency and severity of wildfires in the western United States?
  • Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) – Climate Change and Wildfires
• What are the environmental and ethical considerations of consuming plant-based meat alternatives?
  • Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Plant-Based Meat Alternatives: Are They Healthy?