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ENG 112: College Composition II (Hughes-LO)

Research tips for your term paper! Direct comments and questions to eselander@nvcc.edu.

Getting Started with Research

1. Do you prefer taking notes on paper or on a computer? How will you keep track of your research?

2. Have you selected a topic? Brainstorm 5-10 related search terms BEFORE you start your research.

For example: Search terms for Racial Inequality could include specific instances of inequality between races such as incarceration rate(s) or wealth disparity. Search terms for Immigration could include related words or terms like refugee(s), undocumented, DACA; Search terms can also include names of people, events, or places: while researching Climate Change you could use terms like Greta Thunberg, Paris Agreement, or Hurricane Ida.

*See Creating Your Search Statements for more ideas about how to search your topic most effectively.

3. Save what you find (print it or email it to yourself) and keep it in a place you can easily find it again.