{"id":63,"date":"2022-01-03T20:25:16","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T20:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his247su22\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=63"},"modified":"2022-06-07T16:18:35","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T16:18:35","slug":"the-research-process","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/chapter\/the-research-process\/","title":{"raw":"The Research Process","rendered":"The Research Process"},"content":{"raw":"<div id=\"1\" class=\"Introduction\">\r\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_64\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<img class=\"wp-image-64 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his247su22\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2022\/01\/Research-Process.png\" alt=\"Identify focus of research, develop a research question, define key terms, select research method, establish a sample population, gather and analyze data, and interpret and share results \" width=\"300\" height=\"509\" \/> The 7 Steps of Research. Attribution: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe start of a research project can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the <a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/research_and_citation\/chicago_manual_17th_edition\/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide\/general_format.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Purdue Online Writing Lab<\/a> is a great resource to walk you through the process. It hosts information about:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Starting the process;<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Finding, evaluating, and citing sources; and<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Writing your paper<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Choosing a Topic<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"2\" class=\"Choosing a Topic\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">You may choose any subject covered by the course (20th Century World History). You should consider tying your interests with your topic. For example, if you were enrolled in World History after 1500 C.E.:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left\">If you are interested in horses, you could do a paper on the horse culture of the Arapahoe Indians<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left\">If you plan a career in finance, you could do a paper on Alexander Hamilton's fiscal policies under the Washington administration.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">It is important to choose a topic that is narrow and deep. If your topic is too broad and encyclopedic, you will not be able to limit your paper to 5-7 pages (1500-2100 words). There are ways to narrow your topic:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left\">By time (specify a few years)<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left\">By individual (not all Native Americans, but Tecumseh)<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left\">By location (not all of China, but Shanghai)<\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"text-align: left\">By social class or institution (not all citizens, but the working poor; not all Muslims, but the Sufi)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Some examples of topics:<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Poor topic: The Salem Witch Trials<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Good topic: The role of Tituba in the Salem Witch Trials<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Poor topic: Thomas Jefferson<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Good topic: Jefferson's interest in horticulture<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Poor topic: Wars with Native Americans<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Good topic: The Pontiac Rebellion<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">If you need inspiration, look through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/collections\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Library of Congress Collections<\/a>.\u00a0Remember choosing a topic is tough, and even professional historians struggle to narrow their topics. Be patient and ask for advice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Research and Process<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"3\" class=\"Research and Process\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The seven steps outline is a simple and effective strategy for moving from the beginning of a research project to the finished product. Depending on your topic and your familiarity with library and Internet resources, you may need to rearrange or recycle these steps (Cash).<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">1. Start with a Plan\r\n2. Identify and Develop a Topic\r\n3. Develop a Research Strategy\r\n4. Find Background Information\r\n5. Find High Quality Resources\r\n6. Evaluate What You Find\r\n7. Cite Your Sources<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Writing is a process, one we must practice continuously to improve. As you begin the assignments in this course, keep the following tips in mind (Purdue):<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">1. Writing takes time\r\n2. Use the rhetorical elements from the assignment as a guide\r\n3. Keep in mind the purpose of the assignment\r\n4. Just start writing \u2013 use pre-writing strategies!<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Knowledge Check<\/h2>\r\nUse the following ungraded, self-check question to confirm your learning for this section.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"8\"]\r\n<h2>References<\/h2>\r\n<p class=\"hanging-indent\">Cash, Mary. \"Doing Research at a Distance: A Seven Step Process.\" CCCOnline Library. Accessed July 30, 2018. http:\/\/ccconline.libguides.com\/ResearchDistance.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"hanging-indent\">Purdue. \"Conducting Research.\" Purdue Online Writing Lab. Accessed July 30, 2018. https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/research_and_citation\/conducting_research\/conducting_research_introduction.html.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"hanging-indent\">Purdue. \"General Writing Resources.\" Purdue Online Writing Lab. Accessed July 30, 2018. https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/the_writing_process\/invention_starting_the_writing_process.html.<\/p>","rendered":"<div id=\"1\" class=\"Introduction\">\n<h2>Introduction<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_64\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-64 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his247su22\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2022\/01\/Research-Process.png\" alt=\"Identify focus of research, develop a research question, define key terms, select research method, establish a sample population, gather and analyze data, and interpret and share results\" width=\"300\" height=\"509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2022\/01\/Research-Process.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2022\/01\/Research-Process-177x300.png 177w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2022\/01\/Research-Process-65x110.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/38\/2022\/01\/Research-Process-225x382.png 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-64\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The 7 Steps of Research. Attribution: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The start of a research project can be overwhelming. Fortunately, the <a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/research_and_citation\/chicago_manual_17th_edition\/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide\/general_format.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Purdue Online Writing Lab<\/a> is a great resource to walk you through the process. It hosts information about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Starting the process;<\/li>\n<li>Finding, evaluating, and citing sources; and<\/li>\n<li>Writing your paper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Choosing a Topic<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"2\" class=\"Choosing a Topic\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">You may choose any subject covered by the course (20th Century World History). You should consider tying your interests with your topic. For example, if you were enrolled in World History after 1500 C.E.:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left\">If you are interested in horses, you could do a paper on the horse culture of the Arapahoe Indians<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left\">If you plan a career in finance, you could do a paper on Alexander Hamilton&#8217;s fiscal policies under the Washington administration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">It is important to choose a topic that is narrow and deep. If your topic is too broad and encyclopedic, you will not be able to limit your paper to 5-7 pages (1500-2100 words). There are ways to narrow your topic:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left\">By time (specify a few years)<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left\">By individual (not all Native Americans, but Tecumseh)<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left\">By location (not all of China, but Shanghai)<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left\">By social class or institution (not all citizens, but the working poor; not all Muslims, but the Sufi)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Some examples of topics:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Poor topic: The Salem Witch Trials<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Good topic: The role of Tituba in the Salem Witch Trials<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Poor topic: Thomas Jefferson<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Good topic: Jefferson&#8217;s interest in horticulture<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Poor topic: Wars with Native Americans<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">Good topic: The Pontiac Rebellion<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">If you need inspiration, look through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/collections\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Library of Congress Collections<\/a>.\u00a0Remember choosing a topic is tough, and even professional historians struggle to narrow their topics. Be patient and ask for advice.<\/p>\n<h2>Research and Process<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"3\" class=\"Research and Process\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The seven steps outline is a simple and effective strategy for moving from the beginning of a research project to the finished product. Depending on your topic and your familiarity with library and Internet resources, you may need to rearrange or recycle these steps (Cash).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">1. Start with a Plan<br \/>\n2. Identify and Develop a Topic<br \/>\n3. Develop a Research Strategy<br \/>\n4. Find Background Information<br \/>\n5. Find High Quality Resources<br \/>\n6. Evaluate What You Find<br \/>\n7. Cite Your Sources<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Writing is a process, one we must practice continuously to improve. As you begin the assignments in this course, keep the following tips in mind (Purdue):<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;padding-left: 30px\">1. Writing takes time<br \/>\n2. Use the rhetorical elements from the assignment as a guide<br \/>\n3. Keep in mind the purpose of the assignment<br \/>\n4. Just start writing \u2013 use pre-writing strategies!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Knowledge Check<\/h2>\n<p>Use the following ungraded, self-check question to confirm your learning for this section.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-8\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-8\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"8\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"HIS2015 Research Topic Review\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n<p class=\"hanging-indent\">Cash, Mary. &#8220;Doing Research at a Distance: A Seven Step Process.&#8221; CCCOnline Library. Accessed July 30, 2018. http:\/\/ccconline.libguides.com\/ResearchDistance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"hanging-indent\">Purdue. &#8220;Conducting Research.&#8221; Purdue Online Writing Lab. Accessed July 30, 2018. https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/research_and_citation\/conducting_research\/conducting_research_introduction.html.<\/p>\n<p class=\"hanging-indent\">Purdue. &#8220;General Writing Resources.&#8221; Purdue Online Writing Lab. Accessed July 30, 2018. https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/the_writing_process\/invention_starting_the_writing_process.html.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-63","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":61,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/45"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":312,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63\/revisions\/312"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/61"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/63\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=63"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=63"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/his2015\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}