Introduction
The Search Process
You might not always know where to begin when you are searching for information for an assignment or project. So much information is available in so many different places, it is easy to get lost. It is therefore important to work in a structured manner, according to a step-by-step plan. This saves you time and often gives better search results.
Here, we will divide the search process into the following steps:
- Define the information problem
- Think up search terms
- Select information resources
- Search for information
- Make your selection
- Process the results
Defining the information problem: the first step
The first step is perhaps the most important. You determine what you want to know and translate this into a research question. This question is the starting point and foundation of your research. In the case of a complex research question, you formulate sub-questions. These concern the various aspects of your research question. It will often be necessary to break a sub-question down into a number of search questions. In this section, you will learn how this can be done and what to look out for when formulating a good research question.
