We will be filling out this worksheet (opens in new tab) during today's library workshop. When you submit the worksheet, a copy will be emailed to you.
This guide will take you through the research process to write a term paper for GEOS 4700: Earth History.
Reading approachable summaries of topics written by experts will help you understand fundamental concepts, choose a more specific focus, and begin to find good sources for your paper.
After a little background reading, you are ready to begin searching for some articles in specialized databases.
It is normal to feel overwhelmed at this point. There are so many articles out there! When you find one or two articles that you find interesting and relevant to your paper topic you can move on to:
This step includes a series of strategies for you to use to go from a few articles that you like to a full bibliography that you can write a paper from.
This page has some resources to help you cope with difficult reading, cite sources, and write clearly.
You should expect to go back to a previous step at least once during your research process. Maybe you encounter a new concept and want to read some background about it. Maybe you find a bare spot in your bibliography and need to find a few more articles. This is all normal.
At any point during your research process if you get stuck or confused, get help from the library. My contact information is on every page of this guide. You can also chat with a librarian. It's my job to guide you in your research, so don't be afraid to reach out!
