Research Strategies

The first step to successful research is knowing what you are looking for. This may be hard to determine at the outset of a research assignment when your knowledge of your general topic is limited. Researching is somewhat like detective work: you must be curious and observant, ask questions, track down materials, and work with the expectation that you will find what you are looking for. Not every research case is solvable, however. If you find your research leading to a dead end— because of a lack of published material on your topic, or limited library resources— be prepared to choose another line of enquiry.

The most important aspect of research is having a plan. A plan will save wasting time wandering around the library or aimlessly surfing the Internet. The key features of a research plan are listed below.

The Five-Step Research Process

• Determine the topic you wish to pursue

  A general topic defines the area of interest you wish to investigate. If you are enrolled in a course on the Laws of Armed Conflict, for example, your general topic is military law. Thus, you already know that you want to find books on military law, which may require you to visit a law library. Although this may seem obvious to some, determining the general area of your research is the most important step towards knowing what you are looking for.

• Refine the scope

  Before making a trip to the library, try to narrow the scope of your investigation. Military Law is still too broad, as is Military Law in the early twentieth century. What are you going to examine about military law, specifically? This may require some calibration. Depending on your assignment, military laws pertaining to the treatment of deserters in World War I may be your subject of interest. Ask yourself as many questions as possible about your narrowed topic and then proceed to find answers for the questions that interest you the most. Having some idea about what you want to say about a broad topic will help to define and limit your research. Your research should proceed from sources that give you an overview of your topic to those that present more specific and detailed information.

To what extent was desertion a problem in WWI?
What were the reasons for desertion?
How did each of the warring armies treat deserters?
What legal measures were imposed on those who deserted?

• Find resources

  The best way to begin is to find introductory texts or historical surveys, which are usually assigned as textbooks. These books offer a general introduction to the subject and may include references to significant studies, issues, controversies, and authors in a particular subject area. To determine, for example, if a book on World War I contains anything related to the treatment of deserters, turn to the index at the back of the book and look under key words such as "deserter" or "desertion." You may also enter these key words in an Internet search engine, although it is important to recognize that not all websites are reliable. Since research is not limited to the library, you may also talk to your professor or others who might know something about the subject about an intriguing research topic and where to find scholarly studies. Other sources you may want to consult are listed below:

Skim through your research materials initially, looking for commentary and facts that relate to your narrowed topic. As J.R.R. Tolkien remarked, the object of this stage of research is to pillage rather than occupy alien territory.

• Evaluate resources

  Once you have some titles and authors to look for, use the library catalogue to determine their location. Find these books and journal articles, turn to their indexes, or read their introductions. Do they address your subject? If so, return to these sources. If not, continue to search out other resources. It is usually beneficial to take a quick look at some of the books shelved next to the ones you were looking for, since books are usually shelved according to topic.

• Read and write

  Now that you have some of the books you need (you will no doubt find that you will need others as you proceed with writing), make notes pertaining to what each books says. Take detailed notes as you read, since this will save you a lot of time when it comes to writing your first draft. Note who says what, and be conscious of the strengths and weakness of each argument. What are the issues and the key points raised in the research? One way of effectively organizing facts and key quotations is to record them on index cards. You can then easily organize and recognize these cards on your desk to help formulate a logical outline or to determine the order in which you will use certain key quotes. Do not forget to cite your sources.