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CCCS Research Help Toolkit (Updated for 2025)

Use this for help with research, evaluating sources, and developing a search strategy!

The Research Process

  1. Understand Your Assignment

    1. Read through the assignment instructions carefully. If you do not understand what the assignment rules are, please contact your instructor for clarification. 

  2. Choose Your Topic or Your Question

    1. Sometimes you are given the option to choose your topic.  Other times the topic is chosen for you.  Either way, be sure you are clear what your topic is and how to move forward. 

    2. If possible, put your topic in the form of a research question.  You know you are done researching when you have the complete answer to your research question. 

  3. Background Information and Pre-Research

    1. Write down what you already know about your topic.  If you do not know very much about your topic, you can do some background information using encyclopedias and dictionaries or general websites.  You will NOT use these sources in your final assignment. These sources should only help you understand your topic better so you can find better sources. 

  4. Develop a Search Strategy

    1. Read the section on Search Strategy below to learn about developing a search strategy

  5. Do the Research

    1. This is where you go to a database, use your Search Strategy, and look for sources for your assignment.

  6. Organize Your Sources

    1. Make sure you have the full article of all your sources, the citation for every source, and know what information you plan to use in your assignment. 

  7. Complete the Assignment

    1. Put it all together and complete the assignment.  Be sure to double-check the assignment instructions to make sure you have it completed correctly.