8 Steps of Research

Demystifying the Research Process

Step I: Getting organized for

research Teacher:

builds a sense of excitement and a positive attitude in students about the research project.

helps students to develop note-taking and paper-management systems.

informs students about project management procedures, such as contracts, work

sheets, timelines, and weekly plans.

Step II: Selecting a topic

Teacher presents a timeline for

selecting a topic and guidelines for changing a topic.

Teacher and students brainstorm possible topics discuss how to formulate

research questions that explore who, what, when, where, why, and how issues.

Students think about topics based on

their personal interests and curiosities.

Step III: Background reading for historical

content Teacher

introduces primary and secondary sources through discussion and exercises.

Discuss where and how to locate these sources

Students begin background reading using

secondary sources (e.g., encyclopedias, books, magazines, newspapers, people) and practice using index cards to record where information is found.

begin developing specific research questions.

develop a working title.

Step IV: Locate Sources

Teacher: Have students brainstorm where sources can

be found

Step V: Narrowing the topic

Step VI: Analyzing and interpreting

sources Teacher

guides students in constructing meaning from sources. Students

make connections and identify patterns among sources. practice questioning, weighing evidence, and identifying

opinions and bias. think chronologically and use timelines to establish context

and significance of topic. identify gaps and inconsistencies in gathered evidence. identify various perspectives relating to the topic. establish cause and effect, impact and significance.

Step VII. Developing a thesis statement

Teacher reviews the definition

and purpose of a thesis statement.

Students prepare a narrow (i.e.,

one or two sentences) and pointed thesis statement.

ensure that the thesis sentence explains the significance of the topic.

Step VIII. Developing the written paper

Teacher explains requirements

and styles for the paper, citations, and the bibliography

Students use checklists to ensure

that paper satisfies criteria set by teacher.

make revisions based on feedback from teacher, and peers.