RESEARCH TIPS FOR STUDENT PAPERS & SPEECHES

As a college student, you're likely to have assignments that involve some type of library research.  You might be asked to write an essay or speech, or participate in a panel discussion or other group project.  Your instructors will expect you to support your ideas with information from books, magazine or journal articles, online databases, Internet Websites, or other resources.

Assignments like this help you develop your ability to find, evaluate, and use information resources effectively and ethically--and the best place to start is your DMACC library!  We purchase books and other materials, subscribe to journals and databases, and work with your instructors to provide the information you need for your class projects.

The guidelines here will help you through the research and writing process.

BEFORE YOU START

• Make sure you understand the assignment the instructor has given.
• Know what the requirements are, such as length, number and type of resources required, deadline for completion, etc.
• Check your syllabus for any special instructions or explanations.
• Ask your instructor to clarify anything that is unclear to you.
   

CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC

• Select a topic that interests you.
• Look for ideas in current magazines and newspapers.
• Discuss possible topics with your instructor.
• Be willing to narrow or expand the scope of your topic as needed.
• Check for available resources before making a final decision.

FIND RELEVANT INFORMATION

• Check general or subject encyclopedias for an overview of your topic.
• Search the DMACC Libraries' catalog for books.
• Try some of the library research databases for current articles.
• Too many potential sources?  Focus on a more specific aspect of your topic.
• Little or no information?  Try a more general approach to your topic, or choose another subject.
• Ask a librarian for assistance in choosing the best information resources available, developing alternative approaches to your topic, or using any of the library's print resources or databases.
• Interlibrary loan service is available.  If you need books or articles that aren't available in the DMACC libraries, we can borrow them for you from other libraries.  (Allow at least a week for requests to be filled.)

EVALUATE YOUR SOURCES

• Is the source promoting a cause or selling something?  Does this affect the content?
• What's the reputation of the source?
• Is the information accurate?  Has there been any editing or peer review?
• Can you detect any bias in the content or presentation of the material?
• Is the coverage appropriate to your needs?
• Do you need up-to-date information?  If so, is this source current?

ORGANIZE YOUR INFORMATION

• Keep a record of the publication information for each source you use.
• Put notes for each source on a different card or piece of paper so you can arrange and rearrange ideas.
• Sort your notes into groups based on related information, and try out different sequences for presentation so the information is presented in a logical way.
• Use this grouping to develop a working outline for your project.
• Revise or add to your outline as you continue your research and locate more information.

WRITE YOUR PAPER OR SPEECH

• Use your working outline as a guide for writing the first draft of your text, including everything you wanted to say in the order you planned.
• Read over your rough draft.  Make changes as needed so the text flows smoothly from one point to the next.  Try reading it out loud.
• If you can, try it out on a "test" audience.  You can ask a friend, classmate, or family member to look over your paper or listen to your speech to see if it seems clear and complete.  Make revisions as needed.
• Proofread your final draft to check for accuracy in spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.  You can get help with this in your campus Academic Achievement Center.
• Make sure the format of the paper meets your instructor's requirements.
• Be sure to include documentation for all the information sources you used.

AVOID PLAGIARISM

• As you gather information, record the relevant documentation in your notes accurately and completely.
• Indicate in your notes which ideas are taken from sources and which are your own.  Make this distinction clear in your paper or speech.
• Put all words borrowed from sources in quotation marks.
• When paraphrasing or summarizing information from a source, use different words and sentence structures than the original text.
• Keep the source's name near quotations and paraphrases in your notes and in your final draft.
• Document all quoted material, paraphrases, or summaries from your sources.  Full documentation should be included in your list of works cited or reference list.
• Document any facts that are disputed or not common knowledge.
• Document all opinions, conclusions, statistics, pictures, charts, or graphs taken from your sources.

© Des Moines Area Community College
Last updated July 19, 2007