Scholarly research provides you with an opportunity to get curious about a topic, discover what professionals in the field have already learned, and share what you've learned with others.
The Research Process includes these steps:
Choose a Topic
Identify your Question
Understand Sources
Search for Information
Evaluate Sources
Organize Information
Navigate through the interactive tutorial below to learn more. 
The Research Process doesn't need to be overwhelming if you have the right tools in your kit. Below, find links from the tutorial and additional helpful resources.
Choose a Topic and Identify your QuestionWhat is research?: Find out what scholars think (University College Dublin, Faces of Research, 2013)
Mind Map: Use this Credo Reference tool to narrow or broaden the scope of your topic. Check out this short tutorial.
Concept Map: Refine your topic, create research questions and narrow or broaden the scope. (UCLA Libraries, 2014)
Developing a Research Question: Complete this tutorial from ASU Libraries. Then use this handout to help develop your research question and keywords.
Understand Sources and Search for InformationResearch Databases/ Subject Guides: Databases/Scholarly content curated by Mears librarians
Google Scholar: Find Full Text articles at Mears along with citations for resources you can request using ILL. Full text articles are linked in the right column and articles from USF are denoted as Find @ Mears Library. Use your MyUSF credentials for access. On campus, this integration is already set up! For off campus users, its easy to link to Mears library. In Google Scholar:
Open the menu on the top left corner and navigate to Library Links
If only WorldCat is selected, type University of Sioux Falls in the search box and select the additional options.
Understanding Terms for Scholarly Research: Definitions for common research terms
Using limiters to refine your search: Learn how to retrieve refined results
Searching with Boolean Operators: Narrow, broadon or exclude using And, Or, and Not
Evaluate SourcesSIFT (The Four Moves) - Evaluate sources using a four step method: Stop, Investigate, Find better/trusted coverage, and Trace the original context (developed by Mike Caulfield)
Check, Please! Starter Course - Take this 5 part mini course to learn how to fact and source check.
Organize InformationNoodleTools: Save sources by project and format citations in APA, MLA and Chicago styles.
Zotero: Free software with browser extension that helps you collect and cite research.
Purdue Online Writing Center Guides:
