Identify / Gather
A key element to good researching is spending the time to do background / preliminary exploration of your general topic BEFORE you worry about fact gathering and research questions.
However, once you feel you understand the basics, then begin to focus your topic and dig deeper.
A well-defined topic is limited in scope, allowing you to analyze it from multiple angles. It is specific enough to allow you to write a thorough discussion within the limits of your task. Your teacher or the librarian can help you with this, of course! See the example on the left to get an idea of what a focused topic looks like.
Once your topic is focused, begin to dig deeper, moving on to more subject-specific resources: Books on your topic, subject-specific (or academic for DP) databases, interviews with experts, etc. In additon, the library created a variety of pathfinders on specific subjects that can guide you to useful resources. Including a wide variety of resources--including both primary and secondary sources-- demonstrates the depth of your research and makes it easier to ensure the accuracy of information.
You also need to start generating ideas for your all-important research question. Check out the other tabs for more information on that and focusing your topic.
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Immerse / Explore
A key element to good researching is spending the time to do background / preliminary exploration of yo
ur general topic BEFORE you worry about fact gathering and research questions.
However, once you feel you understand the basics, then begin to focus your topic.
A well-defined topic is limited in scope, allowing you to analyze it from multiple angles. It is specific enough to allow you to write a thorough discussion within the limits of your task.
Your teacher or the librarian can help you with this, of course!
See the example on the left to get an idea of what a focused topic looks like.