Research Success Toolkit: You've Got Research Sources: Now What?

When reading or working on an assignment, you should conduct your research with a critical eye. As you read or view your research sources, consider not only the content provided by the writer(s) but its purpose and how it is written. Consider the who is the audience for which it was written and evaluate the supporting information provided by the author. Does the author use unbiased or emotionally-charged language? Learn to distinguish between fact and interpretation. Draw your own conclusions!

• Methods for reading critically by Walden University
• How the Language Really Works: The Fundamentals of Critical Reading and Effective Writing by Dan Kurland (www.criticalreading.com)

Critical readers tend to have the following traits:

• Exhibit self-awareness of their own thoughts and biases
• Open-mindedness
• Recognize arguments and avoid being easily manipulated
• Ask questions
• Draw evidence-based conclusions
• Find connections between thoughts and subjects
• Develop intellectual independence
• Creativity

One tool many researchers use to organize their work is outlining. Outlines arrange the content of a research project in a hierarchical order and are often written or jotted down before writers begin actually writing. This tool can also help with brainstorming and writer's block. Below are some resources to help you use this tool to get your research project on track.

• Purdue OWL: How and why write an outline?
• How to write an outline
• Components of effective outlines by The OWL at Purdue
• Harvard College Writing Center: Getting started 

The library has many books on the shelf and online to help you complete your research assignments. Here are just a few titles!