Information Literacy Guide: 3. Documenting the Research Process
A guide to support faculty in incorporating General Education Learning Goal #4 into the curriculum.
The Research Log
- Research LogHave students use this tool to list their sources & keep track of when, where & how they searched & what they found
- Sample Research Log (one source)This is an example of a research log for one source that includes an entry for the importance of the source
Researching any topic is complicated by the volume of information and the number of possible information sources available. Conducting research is often a circular process where intial search strategies evolve into revised strategies and research steps must be retraced.
The research log is a tool for recording the research process or activities. It prevents:
- repetition of searches and
- duplication of effort
The research log assists with:
- assessing choice of sources & research strategy
- organization of research time
- documentation of sources
- planning for future research
Asking students to record the process they went through to conduct their research:
- communicates that the instructor values that process and
- recognizes that when students have acquired good search skills, they will find better, more relevant sources and produce a better product.