| Steps | Questions | Example Topic |
| Identify a Topic of interest |
What are you interested in? What do you want to learn about? Is the topic specific enough to be manageable, but broad enough that there will be existing research on it? Is this a term paper or a PhD Dissertation? What kind of topic will you be able to explore meaningfully given the time and resources you have this semester? |
eating disorders |
| Start Reading and taking Notes |
Why? You’re developing your background knowledge of the general topic before you can know what kind of research question to ask. Read what? Background sources first (e.g. encyclopedias), then journal articles and books. What for? Look for key questions people are asking, key problems that are identified, key terms and concepts that come up. |
Notes from background reading: -athletes more likely than non-athletes to have eating disorders -more prevalent in female athletes -coaching and parenting styles might play role -sports psychology, social aspects of sports |
| Break it Down |
As you start narrowing down from a broad topic to a narrow research question, ask yourself: What are the most important aspects or variable of your topic? How would you describe it in just 3-4 words? Think about translating the key concepts into terms that will work in the databases you’re searching. Remember to identify synonyms, broader and narrower terms to ensure you don't miss anything relevant. |
e.g. your working research question is: how do teammates influence disordered eating behavours in young athletes? key concepts: teammates - related terms: hazing, peer pressure, role models, disordered eating - related terms: eating disorders, eating behaviours athletes - synonyms: varsity athletes, collegiate athletes, sports |
| Analyze Evidence |
What are the themes you’re seeing? What do researchers know about the topic? What kinds of studies are being done? What questions are being asked? What groups/populations are being studied? What is well known already and where are some gaps in our collective knowledge?
|
-nature of relationships among teammates is significant - there might be sport-specific factors -concept of teammates as role models? |
| Evaluate Evidence |
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| Refine your Research Question | What is a research question you could ask that might build on what you’ve read, or address some gaps? Why is your research question worth asking? |
Broad topic: eating disorders Narrower topic: causes of eating disorders in competitive athletes Research question: How do coaches and teammates impact disordered eating and related behaviours among female varsity swimmers? |
Sources:
Academic Writing: Research Papers: Quick Guide (SFU)
Fletcher, J. (2021). Writing Rhetorically : Fostering Responsive Thinkers and Communicators, Taylor & Francis Group.
| Steps | Things to think about | Resources |
| Create an Outline and Write a Draft |
How are you making connections among the sources you found and your own ideas? Don't forget to cite! Keep track of your sources and be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and quote properly. Check for coherence, flow, unity of paragraphs Check for cohesion and logical connections between sentences Check your style. Is your paper scholarly? Is your wording clear and concise? Are you appropriately using terms and concepts? Are you citing sources correctly? Are you paraphrasing, summarizing and quoting appropriately?
|
MRU Citation Guides https://library.mtroyal.ca/citations Student Learning Services Workshop: Research Papers 101 |
| Proofread and Revise |
Proofread for common errors. Focus on style as well as content. Make sure you're using the right tools to help you: a thesaurus, citation and style guide, dictionary |
Sources:
Academic Writing: Research Papers: Quick Guide (SFU)
Fletcher, J. (2021). Writing Rhetorically : Fostering Responsive Thinkers and Communicators, Taylor & Francis Group.
Use LibrarySearch to find books and articles.
Reminders:
Finding Journal Articles
Finding Background Sources:
Finding Books:
Finding Stuff Generally:
Search different spellings and plural/singular
An asterisk (*) or truncation symbols means I don't care how it ends and will find variations of a term,
E.g. athlet* will find athletes, athletics, and athleticism
Search phrases
Use quotation marks "" to search for a particular phrase e.g. "risk taking" or "physical literacy"
Using AND/OR
Avoid typing sentences into the search box. Always use AND or OR between different ideas:
Qualitative Content Analysis in Practice by