Define your problem
Introduction
The search process
When looking for information for an assignment or project, sometimes you don't know where to start. There is so much information available in so many different places that it is easy to get lost. Therefore, start working in a structured way according to a fixed step-by-step plan. This saves time and often produces better search results.
The search process here is divided into the following steps:
- Define information problem
- Devise search terms
- Select information sources
- Find information
- Make your selection
- Process results
Defining the information problem: the first step
The first step is perhaps the most important. You define what you want to know and translate it into a research question. This question is the starting point and foundation of your search. With a complex research question, you formulate sub-questions, which deal with partial aspects of your research question. It is often necessary to break down a sub-question into a number of search questions. In this section you will learn how to do that and what to look for when formulating a good research question.
Simple and complex questions
You may encounter different types of questions, ranging from simple look-up questions to complex research questions. Roughly speaking, you can distinguish between three types of questions.
Factual (research) question
This is a focused, simple question; you are looking for an unambiguous factual answer. Simple does not always mean that the answer is easy to find. It is important to get the facts right. Choosing a good reliable source of information is therefore essential.
Example:
What percentage of the Dutch population is unemployed?
Orientation question
With a question for orientation on your topic you do not search very specifically. You explore your subject in a broad sense to get a clearer idea of what you really want to investigate. You want to get a global picture, the question is general in nature. You will also explore some partial aspects.
Example:
You want to investigate the influence of media. You do feel that the topic is very broad. Your orientation questions will be, for example:
- What is known about media influence?
- What is known about different types of media?
As your picture becomes clearer, your orientation questions will also become somewhat more specific.
Research question
A research question is more complex. You are doing more in-depth research and the question is more specific. To answer the question properly, you will need to formulate sub-questions.
For a research question, use a step-by-step plan; a structured approach is important to achieve good results.
Example:
How does media affect youth socialization?
Clarify assignment
Your search for information often begins with an assignment. It is important to make that assignment clear to yourself: what exactly is the purpose and what result is expected?
So first you look at what you need information for (information needs) and what the frameworks are. This allows you to quickly determine how global or in-depth you are going to search. Consider the following points:
What is the context in which you are looking for information?
Are you working on a major research project or do you need to look something up for an internship assignment?
What are the learning objectives for the assignment?
Is the goal to be able to conduct a thorough (literature) research or is it about getting acquainted with a subject?
What will you be assessed on? What are the requirements for your research?
This could include requirements for the use of sources.
What is your target audience [if publication is the goal]?
Are you writing for academics or high school students? Are they peers or not?
How comprehensive should your research paper be?
For a detailed report, you will do more in-depth research than for a short report.
How much time and what resources do you have?
Do you have to submit a report within three weeks or do you have three months? What sources do you have access to?
Orientation
Once the outline and framework of your assignment are clear, explore the possibilities of your topic. Search broadly for information about your subject, let yourself be guided by information you find. During this exploratory search phase, you will get an increasingly clear picture of your topic. This will help you delineate your topic and eventually formulate specific search questions.
To orient yourself on your topic you can:
- use a search engine;
- consult an encyclopedia;
- read textbooks and introductory textbooks;
- read news articles for trends and current events;
- use hyperlinks to view related websites;
- use citation tracking to view related documents;
- consult experts.
During the orientation phase, you often encounter subject terminology and English terms. This too can help you find good search terms. Make a note of these terms. (See devise search terms). In addition, you often find literature references that can further help you find new sources. Write these down as well.
Nice to know: Mindmap
Making a mind map can help you with your orientation to the topic. When you make a mind map, in the middle you place the topic your research should be about. Around it you put words that come to mind when you think about the topic.
A mind map gives a good overview of all kinds of aspects of your topic. This makes the choice for your final angle a lot easier. If your (preliminary) subject is already more specific, a mind map can help you determine main, sub- and search questions.
You can work out a mind map on paper, or you can use specialized Software for it.
Search Log
To structure your desk research and carry it out systematically, it is good to keep track of how and where you have already searched. It is useful to know what sources and combinations of words you have searched in. In a search log you can record this information in an organized manner.
Download a search log
NOG DOEN
Download een zoeklogboek voor eenvoudig probleem
Download een zoeklogboek voor uitgebreid zoekproces
Delineating your subject
After your orientation, you will have a better idea of the possibilities of your topic. Determine which aspects of the subject you will and will not cover. This will prevent your subject from becoming too broad and getting lost in the search for information.
You can also delineate your topic by choosing a particular time period or, for example, a country or language to focus on.
Delineating in social science
The following aspects can also help to further focus your research question:
- What research population are you interested in? Or in the case of qualitative research; who are the informants?
- In experimental research, there is usually a dependent and an independent variable. So what is the effect of variable x on outcome y? Or what is the correlation between x and y?
- In what context does your research question apply? For example, are you interested in collaborating within a company or collaborating with volunteers? Is it about a school or a hospital, or something else?
Main question
The main question is the central research question and corresponds to or is directly derived from the problem statement. This question is the starting point of your search. The main question describes exactly what you want to know and gives direction to your search. It is therefore important to formulate your question well.
A good question can be recognized by the following aspects:
- The question is clear. The terms in the question are also clear. With a vague question you can go either way.
- The question is specific. You want to be able to search specifically. With a general, broad, ill-defined question you will quickly get lost in a mass of information.
- The question is relevant. The answer to the question must contribute directly to solving your "information problem" and achieving your objective.
- The question is asked "open-ended." Thus, it is not a question to which only "yes" or "no" can be the answer.
- It is possible to find an answer within the time available.
- The means to find the answer are adequate.
- Only when you have formulated a specific question that gives direction to the search process and makes clear exactly what you want to know can you search in a focused and effective way.
Example:
Bad question: Are there problems in child care?
- It is closed, only "yes" or "no" is possible.
- it is vague and not specific: with "problems in childcare" you can go either way
- the question (if open-ended) is too broad, not focused and probably not answerable in the time available.
Better question: what is the effect of feedback training on the interaction skills of pedagogical staff in childcare?
- it is open-ended
- it is quite specific by choosing a type of intervention, a study population and an outcome measure
- the question is answerable; obviously depending on your available time
Sub- and search questions
For more complex problems, it is necessary to divide your main question into a number of sub-questions. These sub-questions relate to aspects of your main question. Zooming in on the partial aspects makes answering your main question more manageable. All sub-questions together directly answer your main question.
Example
Main question:
What is the relationship between victimization of child sexual abuse and substance abuse in early adulthood
Possible sub-questions:
- What is the relationship between child sexual abuse and alcohol abuse?
- What is the relationship between child sexual abuse and marijuana abuse?
You can see that a simple-looking question can generate many sub-questions and search questions. It quickly becomes more complex than you think. If you don't have enough time or resources, try delineating your question even more or consider another topic.
Summary
Preparation is often the most difficult part of your search for information. Getting this right will greatly benefit you in the rest of the search process. That is why it is important to have a clear idea of exactly what you want to know before you start your search.
First you orient yourself on your subject. Then you formulate a clear main question and possibly a number of subquestions. To answer these, you formulate search questions. Only when these questions are clear can you come up with concrete search terms that will allow you to search faster, more efficiently and more effectively!
