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GEP Welcome Guide: Research 101

📚 Research 101

Whether you’re writing a paper, preparing a presentation, or just trying to understand a topic better—research is a skill you’ll use throughout college (and probably beyond). This page will help you understand what “research” really means and how to get started with it.

You’ll also find a link below to the required Library Tutorial, which walks you through tools, resources, and strategies in more detail.

Research Process

research flowchart

✍️ How to Get Started on an Assignment (Without the Panic)

Step 1: Read the Assignment Sheet

Before you panic or procrastinate, read through everything your instructor gave you—twice. Highlight:

  • Due date
  • Required sources or citation style
  • Word count or page length
  • Key phrases like analyze, compare, argue, or summarize

💡 Tip: Still unsure what your instructor wants? Ask! Professors would rather clarify early than grade something off-topic later.

Step 2: Start with Something Easy

You don’t have to start by writing. Try:

  • Googling your topic to get a general sense of it
  • Writing down questions you have about the topic
  • Listing 3–5 things you already know
  • Talking it through with a friend or classmate

Even 10 minutes of low-pressure thinking counts as progress.

Step 3: Brainstorm and Narrow Your Focus

If your topic feels too broad (like “social media” or “climate change”), try narrowing by:

  • A specific group: e.g., college students, teenagers, policymakers
  • A specific effect: e.g., mental health, voting behavior, ocean pollution
  • A specific angle: e.g., compare two viewpoints, or look at a cause/effect

Pro tip: Try writing your topic as a question: How does ___ affect ___?

Step 4: Ask the Library for Help Early

We can help you with:

  • Understanding the assignment
  • Choosing or narrowing a topic
  • Finding credible sources
  • Getting unstuck

Don’t wait until the night before! We’re here to help—no judgment, just support.

📘 Ask a Librarian or Schedule a Research Appointment →

College Research

🤔 What Is Research in College?

Research in college is different from just Googling something. It’s about:

  • Asking thoughtful questions

  • Finding reliable sources (not just what shows up first)

  • Evaluating information critically

  • Putting ideas together in your own words

  • Citing your sources to give credit and avoid plagiarism

Research isn’t just something you do to get a grade—it’s how you learn deeply, solve problems, and join bigger conversations happening in your field or community. The good news? You don’t have to be an expert to start.

GEP 101 Library Instruction Tutorial

This step-by-step tutorial tells you exactly what you need to know to be successful with your GEP 101 Annotated Bibliography assignment.  It outlines: what an annotated bibliography is (and why it's useful), how to choose and refine a topic, how to find all three types of materials you need, how to put it all together!