HELP!! I'm having trouble...
... understanding my assignment!
What is the research assignment asking me to do?
What is a 'primary source'?
What is a 'scholarly, 'peer-reviewed', or 'academic' source?
What is a citation?
... starting my research!
Can I use Google?
Where do I begin?
... developing my research question or thesis!
How do I formulate a research question?
What is a thesis statement?
... finding the perfect source!
How do I find the source that will address all my research needs?
... evaluating my sources!
How do I know if my source is credible?
Is my source 'primary'?
Is my source 'scholarly'?
... using and citing my sources!
When do I need to cite?
What does citation look like?
How do I quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source?
Consult a Librarian about your research! Whether you want help navigating the research process or finding research sources in our collections, we can help with that!
"Digital reading" by SITI NURHAYATI from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)
Consult an English tutor for any Gateway course with writing! Whether you want help with a speech, a presentation, an annotated bibliography, or with formatting your project in MLA or APA style, we have a tutor for that!
Welcome to Gateway's Introduction to Research course!
Research is about collecting information to solve a problem or answer a question, and it's something you do every day, whenever you look up a new restaurant or decide which model phone to buy.
College research is only slightly different; college research uses specific resources and follows a more formal process, but it still involves defining your information need, collecting information, and solving a problem or answering a question effectively and ethically. It's important to understand that all information is not created equal, and that there is skill involved in finding and using the right information to support your discussion. These skills can be learned, and will be practiced during the research projects you will do while a student at Gateway. If you ever have questions about these skills, contact a librarian!
College research projects are also an opportunity to learn and practice critical thinking, reasoning, adaptability, applied learning, decision making, and professionalism; these are among the skills identified by studies as being essential for your success as a student. They are also essential for a productive workplace, a well-informed democracy, and healthy communities!
In this course, you'll develop an understanding of the information landscape, receive an overview of the research process, learn about how to develop your topic into a manageable research question or thesis, and cultivate skills to help you locate, evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically.
Click on the 'Intro to Research' image to take the full course from the beginning! If you need to review a particular skill, jump directly to the content you need by selecting a module from the carousel or in the course outline!
Each module is composed of lessons, and each lesson has two parts: introductory text that connects the lessons, and at least one tutorial. The tutorials have a video with transcript; please note that the indicated 'time for completion' is not accurate as it reflects consuming the content in series, whereas most folks won't watch the video and then read the transcript separately. As usual, the transcript with the video matches the closed captioning, if you prefer to read along with the narration in the video.
Every page has a link to the Gateway Library along with a link to contact a librarian, and content in the sidebar that allows you to navigate between modules, reach out to a librarian or tutor, and get answers to research emergencies that you might encounter!
Module 1 - The Information Landscape
Module 2 - The Research Process
Module 3 - Research Topics: Identifying the Information Need
Module 4a - Research Fundamentals: Tools and Techniques for Locating Information
Module 4b - Research Fundamentals: Using Gateway Resources to Locate Information
Module 5 - Research Tools: Evaluating Information