Information Timeline
Think about how information develops. Where does breaking news appear? How does information develop over time, and how is it shared? The chart below illustrates a timeline of information creation and how the scope of that information evolves the further away we get from the event. Think about this when you are looking for information: How current is it? How much analysis is there? What will help you the most in your research?
The Research Cycle
- Questioning: Where do you want to go?
- Planning: research and question topic
- Gathering: Searching & sources
- Sorting and Synthesizing: What did you find?
- Evaluating: What do you need?
- Putting it all together: Writing and editing
Tips for getting through the cycle of research:
- Be patient! You may not find everything you need on your first try. Remember, it takes time, so plan ahead.
- Many steps of the research cycle are interconnected.
- If you aren't happy with your initial results in Step 3, you may have to go back to Step 2 to evaluate your topic. Speak to your professor about adjusting your topic, if needed.
