Defining Characteristics

One way of understanding the research process is to look at some of its defining characteristics. For example, the research process is:

• an art, not a science: There is no formula to memorize; creativity, critical thinking and the ability to change directions as needed are key requirements for a successful research project.
• more about thinking than typing: A monkey can be trained to type search words into Google, but only an intelligent human being has the ability to evaluate the information retrieved by an Internet search and to piece together the numerous bits of information into a cohesive argument.
• iterative, not linear: While the research process is often described as a series of discrete steps (Define your topicDevelop a search strategyFind background informationFind booksFind articlesCite your sources), this is more a function of the limitations of the printed page to display complex tasks than of the nature of the process itself. In fact, good quality research often forces you to backtrack and repeat steps, in various orders, as the information you find, read, and analyze causes you to change your understanding of your research topic.

Given all of the unknowns above, you might rightly ask how anyone could ever be expected to unravel the process. But don't despair. If you learn how to define and develop a research topic; how to analyze that topic in order to sift out its key concepts; how to identify the types of information sources that will most likely meet the needs of your research topic; how to ascertain where those sources are likely to be found; and how to construct a research strategy, both at the general level and for each information resource you use, then you will be able to say that you have a good understanding of the research process.