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SOC 090/WGSS 090/ASIA 090: Wave-makers: How are women making waves in East Asia?

Making the most of this guide!

Photo by Võ Mạnh Đức on Unsplash

The purpose of this guide is to aid you in doing research for your Big Question Seminar. This guide will provide training and information about:

  • The research process (this page)
  • How to distinguish different types of sources (Understanding Source Types page)
  • How to evaluate the sources that you find (Evaluating Sources page)
  • Where to find scholarly sources (Finding Sources page)
  • How to cite (Citing Sources page)

You will get the most out of this guide if you navigate through all the pages, but feel free to jump to a specific page if you are in a hurry. If you need help with the writing process, the following resource can help you:

The Research Process

Iterative research process including topic generation and refinement, writing and citing, and research (information gathering and evaluating).

 

Research can be fun and exciting as you expand your knowledge and learn new things, but it can also be frustrating and messy. The Research Process is a way to manage your research so that it does not overwhelm you. Important points to remember are:

  • The research process is iterative, not linear! For example, as you progress in your research, your topic may change or narrow in scope.
  • Writing is a part of the process and is usually the deliverable, but it is also an important tool to use when brainstorming a topic and when synthesizing the resources you have found.