Better Searching, Better Marks! My Top 7 Tips for Researching

The scariest and most difficult thing I had to overcome during my first year was my very first university essay. It was a term paper for a sociology class and worth 40% of my grade; needless to say I was shaking in my boots! To be honest, it wasn’t just the writing aspect that had me cringing as the deadline approached (was my writing truly at a university level? Will I be able to write 12 pages?) I was mainly worried about where to find strong research. Going with my first instinct, I approached a third year psychology student in my Residence for assistance and she helped me navigate through uWaterloo’s library website to locate books and online databases. It was great to have someone walk me through the unfamiliar territory but there’s always resources such as:

•  the Professor and Teaching Assistant(TA) of your class who could offer you handy tips and preferable sources,
• library pamphlets on research techniques for every department or simple "how to" guides,
• workshops (usually offered by the library or your department),
• and very helpful librarians that can lead you to the right sources and show you how to be effective to retrieving quality information which is so important to your success!

So here are my top 7 tips for surviving your first university essay, specifically centered around searching for sources. Some I’ve gathered through my own experience while others are from workshops I’ve attended or professors I’ve talked with.

1. Brainstorm. I know this sounds like something they taught us in 9^th grade English but we sometimes forget basicswhen we rush through our assignements. This September another one of my Sociology essays had me really stumped. I went to the TA for help and we spent an hour just jotting down ideas and linking them together which made it easier to sit down and write. Brainstorming allows you to develop a strong argument, pick out a variety of key concepts and words for searching, and gives you a firm idea of what you are looking for. Brainstorming improves your search.

2. Use a variety of avenues to search for journal articles and books but don’t become overwhelmed! Your first large essay is a chance to explore the types of databases available to retrieve journal articles and books. Each database looks different which can be confusing. Take a moment to understand how it works and to learn how to use the settings (such as year, subject) to get the best results. Don't get discouraged if the article you want isn't offered as a download, or the book you found has already been borrowed. Ask the librarian,if the articles is in paper form or order the book from another library (our library system is connected to Wilfred Laurier and The University of Guelph).


3. Keep your search words short and simple. Refrain from typing in long sentences and instead use key concepts with words such as and, or, and not to give a clearer indication of what you are looking for.

4. Keep Track of Citations and important information about your sources. Searching for articles means reading titles until you find one that appears to be suitable. Most of the time you are able to click on it which brings you to a page with a summary of the article, and its citation. Open a fresh new document and copy and paste the citation of every article you will reference. You will not be able to use these citations directly in your Works Cited (Bibliography), but it gives you all the crucial information you will need to cite them in the proper format.

5. Rename ALL of the articles you retrieve on the computer. When you download articles they usually have unrecognizable file names. The more articles you have the harder it is to find the one you are looking for. Rename every article after you download it and organize them straight into folders.

6. Document everything! Certain concepts and facts may stick out to you when you read through an article or book. Get out a sheet of paper, write down the concept or thought you had relating to that, and then document where you found it including the title of the source and page number. This ensures every time you mention an idea you picked up from an external source you can automatically and quickly reference its original author instead of going back and trying to find it. (such a nightmare!) The referencing process will be easier and it will keep you from plagiarising when you have efficient habits.

7. Set realistic goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. Maybe your target is 2 articles every hour, or writing a paragraph every hour. Whatever your goals are, make sure they're realistic and don't forget to stock up with a favourite snack and/ or beverage. Take breaks during this process to let your brain rejuvenate. Change your scenery once in a while, or have a light conversation with your friend or a family member.

So my first paper came and went, a milestone we all experience and survive! No matter the mark you receive, just remember, it is a learning experience and practice definitely makes perfect.