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Research Guides@Tufts

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Research Paper Guide

This guide is intended to help with your research process for your final paper.

Turning Interests Into Topics

Research is a messy, creative, and powerful process that ultimately leads to learning and the creation of new knowledge

An important part of the research process is turning your interests into topic ideas. A good topic should:

  • Spark your interest and curiosity
  • Inspire deep and critical thinking
  • Change as you learn more

Great topic ideas take time to develop. 

Starting Research: Think, Ask, Find, Read, Repeat

Think about what interests you. At this stage, you don't need to limit yourself to a single idea; let your mind wander broadly. 

  • Free write about ideas from class discussions or readings that have caught your interest
  • Browse through the course reserve books
  • Browse library shelves (any library!)

Ask questions to focus your thinking.

  • What exactly is this thing that interests you?
  • What do you already know about it, and what do you want to know more about?
  • Articulate questions you hope to answer in your research.

Find information that answers your questions.

  • Start with the open web, learn the basics 
  • Move on to scholarly published works and richer sources of visual information. 

Read what you find.

  • Often during the initial Find stage you're skimming information for relevancy; now it's time to dive in and engage critically with your sources. 

Repeat this process. 

  • These steps do not have to be linear-- you'll most likely be thinking and asking as you find and read, which can lead to new approaches to finding and a sharper understanding when you read.

Topic vs. Thesis

Your topic is what you will explore via research, critical engagement, and writing. It might shift and change, but you identify it early in the research process.

Your thesis is the argument you are making about your topic, informed by your research. It should come later in your research process, after you have critically engaged with a diverse array of sources. 

Research is a process; you must learn about a topic before you can make an informed, intelligent argument. Remember that you are taking part in a scholarly conversation-- just as in a "regular" conversation, you can't successfully participate unless you're listening to what other people have to say.

Head of the W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. Library

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Darin Murphy
Contact:
W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. Library
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Boston, MA 02115
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